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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201912peak #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 1912

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedAKMaine: #24 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 97 girlsMEVermont: #20 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 77 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #45 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 131 girlsNHWashington: #29 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 114 girlsWAIdaho: #12 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 69 girlsIDMontana: #31 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 99 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #41 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 123 girlsNDMinnesota: #91 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 380 girlsMNIllinois: #44 for girls · 153 births · 1 in 184 girlsILWisconsin: #70 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 269 girlsWIMichigan: #34 for girls · 111 births · 1 in 118 girlsMINew York: #87 for girls · 125 births · 1 in 395 girlsNYMassachusetts: #66 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 313 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedRIOregon: #15 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 75 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #26 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 91 girlsSDIowa: #21 for girls · 100 births · 1 in 91 girlsIAIndiana: #7 for girls · 183 births · 1 in 62 girlsINOhio: #15 for girls · 263 births · 1 in 87 girlsOHPennsylvania: #39 for girls · 281 births · 1 in 163 girlsPANew Jersey: #59 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 266 girlsNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #32 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 136 girlsCAUtah: #14 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 76 girlsUTColorado: #27 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 105 girlsCONebraska: #30 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 108 girlsNEMissouri: #11 for girls · 191 births · 1 in 80 girlsMOKentucky: #10 for girls · 168 births · 1 in 81 girlsKYWest Virginia: #11 for girls · 129 births · 1 in 62 girlsWVVirginia: #18 for girls · 153 births · 1 in 93 girlsVAMaryland: #16 for girls · 82 births · 1 in 81 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedDEArizona: #35 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 117 girlsAZNew Mexico: #56 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 194 girlsNMKansas: #8 for girls · 104 births · 1 in 70 girlsKSArkansas: #9 for girls · 116 births · 1 in 82 girlsARTennessee: #15 for girls · 146 births · 1 in 91 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #17 for girls · 169 births · 1 in 101 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #31 for girls · 100 births · 1 in 117 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #12 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 49 girlsDCOklahoma: #8 for girls · 164 births · 1 in 62 girlsOKLouisiana: #17 for girls · 117 births · 1 in 102 girlsLAMississippi: #38 for girls · 82 births · 1 in 148 girlsMSAlabama: #40 for girls · 106 births · 1 in 149 girlsALGeorgia: #26 for girls · 166 births · 1 in 119 girlsGAHawaii: #26 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 82 girlsHITexas: #13 for girls · 256 births · 1 in 103 girlsTXFlorida: #8 for girls · 83 births · 1 in 65 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Indiana#7 · 1 in 62
  2. Oklahoma#8 · 1 in 62
  3. Florida#8 · 1 in 65
  4. Kansas#8 · 1 in 70
  5. Arkansas#9 · 1 in 82

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Indiana#71831 in 62
Florida#8831 in 65
Kansas#81041 in 70
Oklahoma#81641 in 62
Arkansas#91161 in 82
Kentucky#101681 in 81
Missouri#111911 in 80
West Virginia#111291 in 62
District of Columbia#12261 in 49
Idaho#12191 in 69
Texas#132561 in 103
Utah#14241 in 76
Ohio#152631 in 87
Oregon#15321 in 75
Tennessee#151461 in 91
Maryland#16821 in 81
Louisiana#171171 in 102
North Carolina#171691 in 101
Virginia#181531 in 93
Vermont#20171 in 77
Iowa#211001 in 91
Maine#24311 in 97
Georgia#261661 in 119
Hawaii#2691 in 82
South Dakota#26301 in 91
Colorado#27311 in 105
Washington#29361 in 114
Nebraska#30521 in 108
Montana#31161 in 99
South Carolina#311001 in 117
California#32721 in 136
Michigan#341111 in 118
Arizona#3581 in 117
Mississippi#38821 in 148
Pennsylvania#392811 in 163
Alabama#401061 in 149
North Dakota#41261 in 123
Illinois#441531 in 184
New Hampshire#45111 in 131
New Mexico#5681 in 194
New Jersey#59521 in 266
Massachusetts#66571 in 313
Wisconsin#70381 in 269
New York#871251 in 395
Minnesota#91241 in 380
Alaska———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
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 1912

girls
#26
4,183 births · 1 in 133 girls
boys
#1,023
20 births · 1 in 21,497 boys

Top girls' names in 1912

  1. #1Mary32,304
  2. #2Helen16,133
  3. #3Dorothy12,645
  4. #4Margaret12,536
  5. #5Ruth11,280
  6. #6Mildred8,764
  7. #7Anna8,586
  8. #8Elizabeth8,527
  9. #9Frances6,680
  10. #10Marie6,642
  11. #26Thelma4,183

Top boys' names in 1912

  1. #1John24,588
  2. #2William19,626
  3. #3James17,644
  4. #4Robert12,836
  5. #5Joseph12,062
  6. #6George11,734
  7. #7Charles11,070
  8. #8Edward7,936
  9. #9Frank7,912
  10. #10Thomas6,087
  11. #1,023Thelma20
More about 1912

girls

558,119 girls got a published name in 1912; 1 in 133 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 99.2% of the 3,445 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Thelma
  1. #23Ruby4,452
  2. #24Grace4,418
  3. #25Hazel4,197
  4. #26Thelma4,183
  5. #27Annie4,083
  6. #28Josephine3,980
  7. #29Martha3,911
Biggest movers since 1911
Risers
  1. ↑ 712Jule#1,545 → #833
  2. ↑ 626Beula#1,545 → #919
  3. ↑ 602Noma#1,372 → #770
  4. ↑ 577Walter#1,372 → #795
  5. ↑ 490Izora#1,450 → #960
Fallers
  1. ↓ 912Mabell#932 → #1,844
  2. ↓ 602Justina#875 → #1,477
  3. ↓ 579Irine#898 → #1,477
  4. ↓ 579Sula#898 → #1,477
  5. ↓ 568Cordia#853 → #1,421

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

boys

429,942 boys got a published name in 1912; 1 in 21,497 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 64.8% of the 2,905 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Thelma
  1. #1,000Tyler21
  2. #1,000Vicente21
  3. #1,000Wright21
  4. #1,023Thelma20
  5. #1,023Almon20
  6. #1,023Alpha20
  7. #1,023Annie20
  8. #1,059Antoine19
  9. #1,059Bobbie19
  10. #1,059Cicero19

Tied with 35 names at #1,023; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1911
Risers
  1. ↑ 864Arlo#1,740 → #876
  2. ↑ 848Guss#1,740 → #892
  3. ↑ 805Courtney#1,740 → #935
  4. ↑ 805Erling#1,740 → #935
  5. ↑ 805Masao#1,740 → #935
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,688Rosendo#856 → #2,544
  2. ↓ 1,063Metro#982 → #2,045
  3. ↓ 1,057Lawyer#689 → #1,746
  4. ↓ 903Hymen#982 → #1,885
  5. ↓ 903Mathias#982 → #1,885

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

See the top 100 for 1912 →