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
- Peak · girls
- 1910 · 2,976 births
- Debut · girls
- 5 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 42 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 225,460since 1880
Thelma over time
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
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
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #4,661 | 29 | — | |
| 2024 | #4,294 | 33 | — | |
| 2023 | #5,390 | 23 | — | |
| 2022 | #5,028 | 26 | — | |
| 2021 | #4,326 | 32 | — | |
| 2020 | #4,757 | 27 | — | |
| 2019 | #5,612 | 22 | — | |
| 2018 | #4,889 | 27 | — | |
| 2017 | #5,045 | 26 | — | |
| 2016 | #4,423 | 32 | — | |
| 2015 | #4,981 | 27 | — | |
| 2014 | #5,310 | 25 | — | |
| 2013 | #6,462 | 19 | — | |
| 2012 | #5,114 | 27 | — | |
| 2011 | #8,196 | 14 | — | |
| 2010 | #6,382 | 20 | — | |
| 2009 | #4,269 | 35 | — | |
| 2008 | #4,882 | 30 | — | |
| 2007 | #5,097 | 28 | — | |
| 2006 | #4,265 | 34 | — | |
| 2005 | #3,509 | 42 | — | |
| 2004 | #4,387 | 31 | — | |
| 2003 | #3,532 | 40 | — | |
| 2002 | #4,071 | 31 | — | |
| 2001 | #2,600 | 58 | — | |
| 2000 | #2,854 | 50 | — | |
| 1999 | #2,812 | 48 | — | |
| 1998 | #2,279 | 62 | — | |
| 1997 | #2,934 | 41 | — | |
| 1996 | #2,591 | 48 | — | |
| 1995 | #1,802 | 79 | — | |
| 1994 | #1,999 | 70 | — | |
| 1993 | #1,942 | 72 | — | |
| 1992 | #1,688 | 89 | — | |
| 1991 | #1,702 | 86 | — | |
| 1990 | #1,617 | 92 | — | |
| 1989 | #1,506 | 95 | — | |
| 1988 | #1,564 | 84 | — | |
| 1987 | #1,424 | 92 | — | |
| 1986 | #1,282 | 105 | — | |
| 1985 | #1,318 | 101 | — | |
| 1984 | #1,126 | 122 | — | |
| 1983 | #1,127 | 119 | — | |
| 1982 | #972 | 152 | — | |
| 1981 | #964 | 152 | — | |
| 1980 | #994 | 148 | — | |
| 1979 | #905 | 164 | — | |
| 1978 | #858 | 171 | — | |
| 1977 | #774 | 195 | — | |
| 1976 | #750 | 193 | — | |
| 1975 | #736 | 198 | — | |
| 1974 | #641 | 238 | — | |
| 1973 | #682 | 219 | — | |
| 1972 | #665 | 225 | — | |
| 1971 | #606 | 281 | — | |
| 1970 | #621 | 274 | — | |
| 1969 | #554 | 318 | #4,404 | 5 |
| 1968 | #480 | 400 | — | |
| 1967 | #481 | 388 | — | |
| 1966 | #425 | 475 | — | |
| 1965 | #379 | 579 | — | |
| 1964 | #371 | 655 | — | |
| 1963 | #353 | 720 | #3,318 | 7 |
| 1962 | #345 | 752 | #4,033 | 5 |
| 1961 | #339 | 772 | #4,065 | 5 |
| 1960 | #326 | 835 | #3,337 | 7 |
| 1959 | #305 | 899 | — | |
| 1958 | #316 | 847 | #3,559 | 6 |
| 1957 | #291 | 967 | — | |
| 1956 | #254 | 1,078 | — | |
| 1955 | #246 | 1,105 | #2,435 | 11 |
| 1954 | #228 | 1,241 | #2,942 | 8 |
| 1953 | #223 | 1,295 | #3,798 | 5 |
| 1952 | #209 | 1,358 | #3,373 | 6 |
| 1951 | #189 | 1,528 | — | |
| 1950 | #187 | 1,458 | — | |
| 1949 | #172 | 1,625 | #2,606 | 9 |
| 1948 | #163 | 1,763 | #2,443 | 10 |
| 1947 | #153 | 1,902 | #2,251 | 12 |
| 1946 | #150 | 1,794 | #2,690 | 8 |
| 1945 | #131 | 1,853 | #3,338 | 5 |
| 1944 | #131 | 1,997 | #1,890 | 14 |
| 1943 | #127 | 2,210 | #2,182 | 12 |
| 1942 | #121 | 2,257 | #2,042 | 13 |
| 1941 | #108 | 2,367 | #2,333 | 10 |
| 1940 | #101 | 2,461 | #2,179 | 11 |
| 1939 | #88 | 2,696 | #1,359 | 24 |
| 1938 | #86 | 2,866 | #1,741 | 16 |
| 1937 | #78 | 3,062 | #1,576 | 19 |
| 1936 | #74 | 3,196 | #1,169 | 32 |
| 1935 | #76 | 3,190 | #1,165 | 32 |
| 1934 | #65 | 3,646 | #1,213 | 30 |
| 1933 | #57 | 3,636 | #1,330 | 25 |
| 1932 | #51 | 4,272 | #1,324 | 27 |
| 1931 | #53 | 4,440 | #1,111 | 37 |
| 1930 | #45 | 5,250 | #1,215 | 34 |
| 1929 | #41 | 5,476 | #1,237 | 32 |
| 1928 | #40 | 5,978 | #1,254 | 33 |
| 1927 | #38 | 6,303 | #1,436 | 27 |
| 1926 | #36 | 6,585 | #1,192 | 36 |
| 1925 | #35 | 6,823 | #1,091 | 41 |
| 1924 | #33 | 7,316 | #1,058 | 45 |
| 1923 | #31 | 7,379 | #1,358 | 29 |
| 1922 | #31 | 7,254 | #1,434 | 27 |
| 1921 | #30 | 7,839 | #1,296 | 32 |
| 1920 | #31 | 7,814 | #1,273 | 32 |
| 1919 | #31 | 7,558 | #1,047 | 42 |
| 1918 | #32 | 7,740 | #1,012 | 44 |
| 1917 | #32 | 7,245 | #1,291 | 28 |
| 1916 | #29 | 7,290 | #1,206 | 30 |
| 1915 | #30 | 6,762 | #1,241 | 28 |
| 1914 | #26 | 5,496 | #1,221 | 23 |
| 1913 | #26 | 4,595 | #914 | 29 |
| 1912 | #26 | 4,183 | #1,023 | 20 |
| 1911 | #27 | 3,166 | #982 | 12 |
| 1910 | #25 | 2,976 | #729 | 17 |
| 1909 | #26 | 2,612 | #840 | 12 |
| 1908 | #26 | 2,526 | #1,021 | 8 |
| 1907 | #28 | 2,339 | #735 | 13 |
| 1906 | #31 | 2,114 | #709 | 12 |
| 1905 | #36 | 1,945 | #786 | 10 |
| 1904 | #37 | 1,757 | #810 | 9 |
| 1903 | #47 | 1,479 | #783 | 9 |
| 1902 | #52 | 1,309 | #1,013 | 6 |
| 1901 | #57 | 1,090 | — | |
| 1900 | #73 | 1,094 | — | |
| 1899 | #78 | 736 | — | |
| 1898 | #99 | 605 | — | |
| 1897 | #117 | 419 | #942 | 6 |
| 1896 | #167 | 260 | #1,101 | 5 |
| 1895 | #205 | 173 | — | |
| 1894 | #333 | 70 | — | |
| 1893 | #414 | 42 | — | |
| 1892 | #471 | 33 | — | |
| 1891 | #514 | 25 | — | |
| 1890 | #558 | 22 | — | |
| 1889 | #516 | 24 | — | |
| 1888 | #663 | 15 | — | |
| 1887 | #937 | 7 | — | |
| 1886 | #657 | 12 | — | |
| 1885 | — | — | ||
| 1884 | #851 | 7 | — | |
| 1883 | #817 | 6 | — | |
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | #836 | 5 | — | |
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 1979
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- North Carolina#402 · 1 in 2,987
- Kentucky#463 · 1 in 4,081
- Arizona#541 · 1 in 3,572
- Texas#595 · 1 in 4,273
- Louisiana#614 · 1 in 4,180
Best ever in a state: #5 in Utah, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | #402 | 11 | 1 in 2,987 |
| Kentucky | #463 | 6 | 1 in 4,081 |
| Arizona | #541 | 5 | 1 in 3,572 |
| Texas | #595 | 26 | 1 in 4,273 |
| Louisiana | #614 | 7 | 1 in 4,180 |
| Missouri | #638 | 5 | 1 in 6,458 |
| Florida | #667 | 9 | 1 in 5,208 |
| Pennsylvania | #710 | 9 | 1 in 7,601 |
| California | #940 | 19 | 1 in 8,596 |
| Illinois | #966 | 8 | 1 in 9,337 |
| Michigan | #972 | 5 | 1 in 11,917 |
| Ohio | #1,057 | 5 | 1 in 14,418 |
| New York | #1,589 | 5 | 1 in 19,785 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| 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
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 76 | #516 (1889) | #754 |
| 1890s | 2,385 | #78 (1899) | #296 |
| 1900s | 18,265 | #26 (1909) | #41 |
| 1910s | 57,011 | #25 (1910) | #28 |
| 1920s | 68,767 | #30 (1921) | #35 |
| 1930s | 36,254 | #45 (1930) | #67 |
| 1940s | 20,229 | #101 (1940) | #136 |
| 1950s | 11,776 | #187 (1950) | #245 |
| 1960s | 5,894 | #326 (1960) | #405 |
| 1970s | 2,158 | #606 (1971) | #724 |
| 1980s | 1,170 | #964 (1981) | #1,228 |
| 1990s | 687 | #1,617 (1990) | #2,137 |
| 2000s | 379 | #2,600 (2001) | #3,947 |
| 2010s | 239 | #4,423 (2016) | #5,641 |
| 2020s | 170 | #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 1979
girls
#905
164 births · 1 in 9,788 girls
Top girls' names in 1979
More about 1979
girls
1,605,268 girls got a published name in 1979; 1 in 9,788 of them was named Thelma, which outranked 92.4% of the 11,972 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Thelma
- #897Nikole166
- #903Bernice165
- #903Kirstin165
- #905Thelma164
- #905Adria164
- #905Elaina164
- #905Faye164
- #911Jeanie163
- #912Alina162
- #912Anitra162
Tied with 5 names at #905; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.