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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201932peak #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 1932

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedAKMaine: #62 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 214 girlsMEVermont: #69 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 217 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #94 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 436 girlsNHWashington: #98 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 419 girlsWAIdaho: #32 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 140 girlsIDMontana: #115 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 425 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #92 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 319 girlsNDMinnesota: #165 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,019 girlsMNIllinois: #99 for girls · 108 births · 1 in 468 girlsILWisconsin: #190 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,534 girlsWIMichigan: #92 for girls · 85 births · 1 in 432 girlsMINew York: #92 for girls · 228 births · 1 in 386 girlsNYMassachusetts: #88 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 416 girlsMARhode Island: #79 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 343 girlsRIOregon: #88 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 381 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Thelma, so not publishedNVWyoming: #73 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 232 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #145 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 670 girlsSDIowa: #111 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 573 girlsIAIndiana: #48 for girls · 104 births · 1 in 219 girlsINOhio: #67 for girls · 162 births · 1 in 282 girlsOHPennsylvania: #70 for girls · 253 births · 1 in 293 girlsPANew Jersey: #81 for girls · 71 births · 1 in 375 girlsNJConnecticut: #173 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,255 girlsCTCalifornia: #97 for girls · 78 births · 1 in 439 girlsCAUtah: #85 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 359 girlsUTColorado: #75 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 291 girlsCONebraska: #116 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 536 girlsNEMissouri: #44 for girls · 142 births · 1 in 195 girlsMOKentucky: #21 for girls · 238 births · 1 in 115 girlsKYWest Virginia: #26 for girls · 140 births · 1 in 125 girlsWVVirginia: #24 for girls · 194 births · 1 in 126 girlsVAMaryland: #35 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 152 girlsMDDelaware: #65 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 211 girlsDEArizona: #119 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 418 girlsAZNew Mexico: #94 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 315 girlsNMKansas: #47 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 206 girlsKSArkansas: #33 for girls · 112 births · 1 in 167 girlsARTennessee: #25 for girls · 202 births · 1 in 134 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #26 for girls · 269 births · 1 in 136 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #20 for girls · 194 births · 1 in 107 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #59 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 211 girlsDCOklahoma: #28 for girls · 168 births · 1 in 131 girlsOKLouisiana: #29 for girls · 140 births · 1 in 150 girlsLAMississippi: #36 for girls · 139 births · 1 in 158 girlsMSAlabama: #46 for girls · 151 births · 1 in 198 girlsALGeorgia: #26 for girls · 208 births · 1 in 148 girlsGAHawaii: #36 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 119 girlsHITexas: #48 for girls · 221 births · 1 in 255 girlsTXFlorida: #31 for girls · 82 births · 1 in 150 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. South Carolina#20 · 1 in 107
  2. Kentucky#21 · 1 in 115
  3. Virginia#24 · 1 in 126
  4. Tennessee#25 · 1 in 134
  5. West Virginia#26 · 1 in 125

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
South Carolina#201941 in 107
Kentucky#212381 in 115
Virginia#241941 in 126
Tennessee#252021 in 134
Georgia#262081 in 148
North Carolina#262691 in 136
West Virginia#261401 in 125
Oklahoma#281681 in 131
Louisiana#291401 in 150
Florida#31821 in 150
Idaho#32231 in 140
Arkansas#331121 in 167
Maryland#35801 in 152
Hawaii#36281 in 119
Mississippi#361391 in 158
Missouri#441421 in 195
Alabama#461511 in 198
Kansas#47641 in 206
Indiana#481041 in 219
Texas#482211 in 255
District of Columbia#59181 in 211
Maine#62301 in 214
Delaware#6571 in 211
Ohio#671621 in 282
Vermont#69111 in 217
Pennsylvania#702531 in 293
Wyoming#7361 in 232
Colorado#75271 in 291
Rhode Island#79131 in 343
New Jersey#81711 in 375
Utah#85121 in 359
Massachusetts#88721 in 416
Oregon#88131 in 381
Michigan#92851 in 432
New York#922281 in 386
North Dakota#92181 in 319
New Hampshire#9471 in 436
New Mexico#94151 in 315
California#97781 in 439
Washington#98211 in 419
Illinois#991081 in 468
Iowa#111311 in 573
Montana#11581 in 425
Nebraska#116191 in 536
Arizona#11991 in 418
South Dakota#14581 in 670
Minnesota#165191 in 1,019
Connecticut#17381 in 1,255
Wisconsin#190151 in 1,534
Alaska———
Nevada———

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 1932

girls
#51
4,272 births · 1 in 250 girls
boys
#1,324
27 births · 1 in 38,672 boys

Top girls' names in 1932

  1. #1Mary59,883
  2. #2Betty34,420
  3. #3Barbara26,318
  4. #4Dorothy24,974
  5. #5Joan21,044
  6. #6Patricia17,992
  7. #7Margaret16,556
  8. #8Helen16,376
  9. #9Shirley14,476
  10. #10Doris12,910
  11. #51Thelma4,272

Top boys' names in 1932

  1. #1Robert59,268
  2. #2James51,930
  3. #3John48,624
  4. #4William42,124
  5. #5Richard31,809
  6. #6Charles31,092
  7. #7Donald29,794
  8. #8George20,439
  9. #9Joseph18,566
  10. #10Thomas16,834
  11. #1,324Thelma27
More about 1932

girls

1,067,148 girls got a published name in 1932; 1 in 250 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 99.0% of the 5,098 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Thelma
  1. #48Lillian4,351
  2. #49Jane4,348
  3. #50Edna4,279
  4. #51Thelma4,272
  5. #52Wanda4,261
  6. #53Rita4,256
  7. #54Gladys4,185
Biggest movers since 1931
Risers
  1. ↑ 963Dian#1,876 → #913
  2. ↑ 519Carleen#1,394 → #875
  3. ↑ 357Jimmy#1,336 → #979
  4. ↑ 347Letty#1,287 → #940
  5. ↑ 340Letitia#1,148 → #808
Fallers
  1. ↓ 350Blossom#970 → #1,320
  2. ↓ 332Luetta#844 → #1,176
  3. ↓ 305Roy#887 → #1,192
  4. ↓ 289Sofia#887 → #1,176
  5. ↓ 282Joretta#463 → #745

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

boys

1,044,157 boys got a published name in 1932; 1 in 38,672 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 69.1% of the 4,284 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Thelma
  1. #1,286Ulyses28
  2. #1,286Westley28
  3. #1,286Winton28
  4. #1,324Thelma27
  5. #1,324Acie27
  6. #1,324Archibald27
  7. #1,324Aubry27
  8. #1,356Arch26
  9. #1,356Ballard26
  10. #1,356Beatrice26

Tied with 31 names at #1,324; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1931
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,418Delano#3,095 → #677
  2. ↑ 969Garner#1,643 → #674
  3. ↑ 868Ronny#1,770 → #902
  4. ↑ 713Darryl#1,693 → #980
  5. ↑ 609Marc#1,589 → #980
Fallers
  1. ↓ 467Jones#959 → #1,426
  2. ↓ 455Hamilton#831 → #1,286
  3. ↓ 393Hyman#697 → #1,090
  4. ↓ 373Davey#983 → #1,356
  5. ↓ 341Hayes#983 → #1,324

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

See the top 100 for 1932 →