Thelma

#4,661 for girls in 2025, 29 births · Last seen for boys in 1969 at #4,404
Given to girls 99.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1910 · 2,976 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
42 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
225,460
since 1880

Thelma over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201911peak #25, 1910girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#4,66129
2024#4,29433
2023#5,39023
2022#5,02826
2021#4,32632
2020#4,75727
2019#5,61222
2018#4,88927
2017#5,04526
2016#4,42332
2015#4,98127
2014#5,31025
2013#6,46219
2012#5,11427
2011#8,19614
2010#6,38220
2009#4,26935
2008#4,88230
2007#5,09728
2006#4,26534
2005#3,50942
2004#4,38731
2003#3,53240
2002#4,07131
2001#2,60058
2000#2,85450
1999#2,81248
1998#2,27962
1997#2,93441
1996#2,59148
1995#1,80279
1994#1,99970
1993#1,94272
1992#1,68889
1991#1,70286
1990#1,61792
1989#1,50695
1988#1,56484
1987#1,42492
1986#1,282105
1985#1,318101
1984#1,126122
1983#1,127119
1982#972152
1981#964152
1980#994148
1979#905164
1978#858171
1977#774195
1976#750193
1975#736198
1974#641238
1973#682219
1972#665225
1971#606281
1970#621274
1969#554318#4,4045
1968#480400
1967#481388
1966#425475
1965#379579
1964#371655
1963#353720#3,3187
1962#345752#4,0335
1961#339772#4,0655
1960#326835#3,3377
1959#305899
1958#316847#3,5596
1957#291967
1956#2541,078
1955#2461,105#2,43511
1954#2281,241#2,9428
1953#2231,295#3,7985
1952#2091,358#3,3736
1951#1891,528
1950#1871,458
1949#1721,625#2,6069
1948#1631,763#2,44310
1947#1531,902#2,25112
1946#1501,794#2,6908
1945#1311,853#3,3385
1944#1311,997#1,89014
1943#1272,210#2,18212
1942#1212,257#2,04213
1941#1082,367#2,33310
1940#1012,461#2,17911
1939#882,696#1,35924
1938#862,866#1,74116
1937#783,062#1,57619
1936#743,196#1,16932
1935#763,190#1,16532
1934#653,646#1,21330
1933#573,636#1,33025
1932#514,272#1,32427
1931#534,440#1,11137
1930#455,250#1,21534
1929#415,476#1,23732
1928#405,978#1,25433
1927#386,303#1,43627
1926#366,585#1,19236
1925#356,823#1,09141
1924#337,316#1,05845
1923#317,379#1,35829
1922#317,254#1,43427
1921#307,839#1,29632
1920#317,814#1,27332
1919#317,558#1,04742
1918#327,740#1,01244
1917#327,245#1,29128
1916#297,290#1,20630
1915#306,762#1,24128
1914#265,496#1,22123
1913#264,595#91429
1912#264,183#1,02320
1911#273,166#98212
1910#252,976#72917
1909#262,612#84012
1908#262,526#1,0218
1907#282,339#73513
1906#312,114#70912
1905#361,945#78610
1904#371,757#8109
1903#471,479#7839
1902#521,309#1,0136
1901#571,090
1900#731,094
1899#78736
1898#99605
1897#117419#9426
1896#167260#1,1015
1895#205173
1894#33370
1893#41442
1892#47133
1891#51425
1890#55822
1889#51624
1888#66315
1887#9377
1886#65712
1885
1884#8517
1883#8176
1882
1881
1880#8365
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Thelma was already there! It came in at #836, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1882, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Thelma is popular in 1911

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedAKMaine: #25 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 89 girlsMEVermont: #25 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 75 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #42 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 120 girlsNHWashington: #24 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 88 girlsWAIdaho: #8 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 57 girlsIDMontana: #74 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 220 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #39 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 113 girlsNDMinnesota: #78 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 307 girlsMNIllinois: #39 for girls · 119 births · 1 in 163 girlsILWisconsin: #103 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 443 girlsWIMichigan: #38 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 131 girlsMINew York: #94 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 413 girlsNYMassachusetts: #50 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 223 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedRIOregon: #12 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 54 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #38 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 118 girlsSDIowa: #19 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 91 girlsIAIndiana: #8 for girls · 119 births · 1 in 66 girlsINOhio: #14 for girls · 206 births · 1 in 81 girlsOHPennsylvania: #40 for girls · 216 births · 1 in 160 girlsPANew Jersey: #60 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 264 girlsNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #23 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 100 girlsCAUtah: #12 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 58 girlsUTColorado: #21 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 90 girlsCONebraska: #39 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 129 girlsNEMissouri: #15 for girls · 141 births · 1 in 81 girlsMOKentucky: #21 for girls · 102 births · 1 in 107 girlsKYWest Virginia: #5 for girls · 111 births · 1 in 56 girlsWVVirginia: #11 for girls · 136 births · 1 in 79 girlsVAMaryland: #14 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 68 girlsMDDelaware: #25 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 75 girlsDEArizona: #43 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 113 girlsAZNew Mexico: #14 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 73 girlsNMKansas: #10 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 73 girlsKSArkansas: #13 for girls · 76 births · 1 in 94 girlsARTennessee: #16 for girls · 112 births · 1 in 89 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #20 for girls · 122 births · 1 in 105 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #36 for girls · 73 births · 1 in 125 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #13 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 46 girlsDCOklahoma: #9 for girls · 112 births · 1 in 71 girlsOKLouisiana: #10 for girls · 109 births · 1 in 83 girlsLAMississippi: #43 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 161 girlsMSAlabama: #37 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 150 girlsALGeorgia: #24 for girls · 133 births · 1 in 113 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedHITexas: #12 for girls · 206 births · 1 in 95 girlsTXFlorida: #12 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 78 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. West Virginia#5 · 1 in 56
  2. Idaho#8 · 1 in 57
  3. Indiana#8 · 1 in 66
  4. Oklahoma#9 · 1 in 71
  5. Kansas#10 · 1 in 73

Best ever in a state: #5 in Utah, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
West Virginia#51111 in 56
Idaho#8161 in 57
Indiana#81191 in 66
Oklahoma#91121 in 71
Kansas#10741 in 73
Louisiana#101091 in 83
Virginia#111361 in 79
Florida#12481 in 78
Oregon#12291 in 54
Texas#122061 in 95
Utah#12211 in 58
Arkansas#13761 in 94
District of Columbia#13211 in 46
Maryland#14721 in 68
New Mexico#14141 in 73
Ohio#142061 in 81
Missouri#151411 in 81
Tennessee#161121 in 89
Iowa#19681 in 91
North Carolina#201221 in 105
Colorado#21261 in 90
Kentucky#211021 in 107
California#23661 in 100
Georgia#241331 in 113
Washington#24351 in 88
Delaware#2571 in 75
Maine#25261 in 89
Vermont#25121 in 75
South Carolina#36731 in 125
Alabama#37801 in 150
Michigan#38721 in 131
South Dakota#38161 in 118
Illinois#391191 in 163
Nebraska#39291 in 129
North Dakota#39201 in 113
Pennsylvania#402161 in 160
New Hampshire#4291 in 120
Arizona#4361 in 113
Mississippi#43571 in 161
Massachusetts#50611 in 223
New Jersey#60381 in 264
Montana#7451 in 220
Minnesota#78211 in 307
New York#94901 in 413
Wisconsin#103161 in 443
Alaska
Connecticut
Hawaii
Nevada
Rhode Island
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Thelma
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 367 spots since 2024 (#4,294#4,661)
  • 96 spots since 2020 (#4,757#4,661)
  • 320 spots since 2015 (#4,981#4,661)
  • Biggest jump: 274 spots in 1888 (#937#663)
  • Biggest drop: 280 spots in 1887 (#657#937)
Rise & fade · girls
30 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1910 at #25 (2,976 births)
  • Births halved by 1950, 40 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 42 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 42 yrs · run 1898–1939
  • Top 1,000: 100 yrs · run 1886–1982
Share of babies · girls
1 in 132
  • Highest: 1 in 132 girls born in 1911 were named Thelma (0.76%)
  • Latest: 1 in 55,423 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
  • Its best rank, #25 in 1910, was only 1 in 133 (0.75%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 30.5% of all girls named Thelma (68,767) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s76#516 (1889)#754
1890s2,385#78 (1899)#296
1900s18,265#26 (1909)#41
1910s57,011#25 (1910)#28
1920s68,767#30 (1921)#35
1930s36,254#45 (1930)#67
1940s20,229#101 (1940)#136
1950s11,776#187 (1950)#245
1960s5,894#326 (1960)#405
1970s2,158#606 (1971)#724
1980s1,170#964 (1981)#1,228
1990s687#1,617 (1990)#2,137
2000s379#2,600 (2001)#3,947
2010s239#4,423 (2016)#5,641
2020s170#4,294 (2024)#4,743

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Thelma in 1911

girls
#27
3,166 births · 1 in 132 girls
boys
#982
12 births · 1 in 18,831 boys

Top girls' names in 1911

  1. #1Mary24,390
  2. #2Helen11,801
  3. #3Margaret9,279
  4. #4Dorothy8,869
  5. #5Ruth8,003
  6. #6Anna6,753
  7. #7Elizabeth6,298
  8. #8Mildred6,271
  9. #9Marie5,017
  10. #10Frances4,967
  11. #27Thelma3,166

Top boys' names in 1911

  1. #1John13,446
  2. #2William10,593
  3. #3James9,952
  4. #4George6,586
  5. #5Robert6,526
  6. #6Joseph6,488
  7. #7Charles5,725
  8. #8Frank4,314
  9. #9Edward4,164
  10. #10Thomas3,292
  11. #982Thelma12
More about 1911

girls

418,309 girls got a published name in 1911; 1 in 132 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 99.1% of the 2,868 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Thelma
  1. #24Annie3,298
  2. #25Hazel3,290
  3. #26Virginia3,263
  4. #27Thelma3,166
  5. #28Martha3,019
  6. #29Josephine3,011
  7. #30Gertrude2,895
Biggest movers since 1910
Risers
  1. 1,003Laurette#1,935#932
  2. 683Glenda#1,521#838
  3. 680Ana#1,421#741
  4. 623Vilma#1,521#898
  5. 523Emmaline#1,421#898
Fallers
  1. 1,194Alys#997#2,191
  2. 959Leana#997#1,956
  3. 686Coletta#859#1,545
  4. 686Blossom#970#1,656
  5. 659Otis#997#1,656

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

225,970 boys got a published name in 1911; 1 in 18,831 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 50.9% of the 1,999 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 31.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Thelma
  1. #925Waverly13
  2. #925Wayman13
  3. #925Worth13
  4. #982Thelma12
  5. #982Algie12
  6. #982Angel12
  7. #982Baxter12
  8. #1,038Ann11
  9. #1,038Anson11
  10. #1,038Arno11

Tied with 55 names at #982; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1910
Risers
  1. 900Vincenzo#1,589#689
  2. 900Wyman#1,589#689
  3. 882Rodger#1,589#707
  4. 796Cedric#1,589#793
  5. 796Hughie#1,589#793
Fallers
  1. 881Bertha#859#1,740
  2. 881Arlo#859#1,740
  3. 831Shelton#556#1,387
  4. 812Guss#928#1,740
  5. 812Halley#928#1,740

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1911