Velma

#5,722 for girls in 2025, 21 births · Last seen for boys in 1955 at #2,558
Given to girls 99.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1912 · 1,403 births
Debut · girls
16 births
In top 100 · girls
14 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
86,752
since 1880

Velma over time

girls

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

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201976peak #88, 1912girls
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#5,72221—
2024#7,96713—
2023#5,54922—
2022#5,17225—
2021#7,25015—
2020#7,21215—
2019#7,71614—
2018#5,78521—
2017#11,6158—
2016#12,8767—
2015#14,4826—
2014#8,48513—
2013#11,0009—
2012#16,8695—
2011#7,78315—
2010#11,2469—
2009#10,67910—
2008#15,4056—
2007#17,6365—
2006#11,4179—
2005#13,0107—
2004#7,82814—
2003#9,04811—
2002#7,44414—
2001#10,1029—
2000#8,02712—
1999#7,71612—
1998#6,07316—
1997#7,74211—
1996#7,13012—
1995#6,64113—
1994#5,01619—
1993#4,82620—
1992#6,00815—
1991#2,88640—
1990#3,29733—
1989#3,25332—
1988#2,80337—
1987#2,49341—
1986#2,34443—
1985#2,70435—
1984#2,01850—
1983#1,88755—
1982#1,85058—
1981#1,45583—
1980#1,51878—
1979#1,50378—
1978#1,39783—
1977#1,45176—
1976#1,19195—
1975#1,22993—
1974#1,070110—
1973#933131—
1972#993120—
1971#828167—
1970#781181—
1969#731191—
1968#651222—
1967#577273—
1966#546299—
1965#499362—
1964#487395—
1963#478407—
1962#445464—
1961#428524—
1960#406559—
1959#400550—
1958#416502—
1957#352668—
1956#332692—
1955#338634#2,55810
1954#309749#3,8275
1953#304737—
1952#300706—
1951#277798—
1950#267825—
1949#272798#3,2986
1948#254871—
1947#259848—
1946#242875#3,1736
1945#223861#2,7437
1944#211935#2,19511
1943#2011,046—
1942#1961,052—
1941#1881,000—
1940#188986#2,6718
1939#1781,068#3,4805
1938#1741,160#2,32610
1937#1641,218#3,5185
1936#1671,180#2,18411
1935#1471,352#2,02913
1934#1441,426#2,5639
1933#1371,481#2,7388
1932#1331,689#1,46523
1931#1311,758#2,47110
1930#1271,918#1,96415
1929#1281,930#2,09614
1928#1142,290#2,27013
1927#1182,285#2,52311
1926#1242,120#1,84618
1925#1282,177#1,62822
1924#1232,272#1,77620
1923#1162,337#2,44612
1922#1132,367#2,80110
1921#1082,606#3,5177
1920#1052,491#1,88518
1919#1042,341#1,57622
1918#1032,439#2,26013
1917#982,411#2,42311
1916#992,319#2,38911
1915#942,287#2,18412
1914#921,795#2,4578
1913#891,556#1,44114
1912#881,403#2,5445
1911#901,045#1,2908
1910#901,035#1,1938
1909#92857#1,0838
1908#90860#1,2176
1907#90854#1,2006
1906#94721—
1905#94722—
1904#101615#1,0646
1903#99589—
1902#113526—
1901#130388#1,0585
1900#141426—
1899#139334—
1898#152331—
1897#160280—
1896#174249—
1895#188208—
1894#189196—
1893#201156—
1892#212146—
1891#236103—
1890#25496—
1889#28172—
1888#28667—
1887#27459—
1886#37133—
1885#35432—
1884#47918—
1883#36625—
1882#44617—
1881#38419—
1880#42116—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Velma was already there! It came in at #421, and was given to 16 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 2007–2008, when fewer than 7 girls a year got the name.

Where Velma is popular in 1976

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedMNIllinois: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedMINew York: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedINOhio: #979 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 13,472 girlsOHPennsylvania: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #1,353 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 15,985 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedNEMissouri: #611 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,899 girlsMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedARTennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedHITexas: #516 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 3,454 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Velma, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Texas#516 · 1 in 3,454
  2. Missouri#611 · 1 in 5,899
  3. Ohio#979 · 1 in 13,472
  4. California#1,353 · 1 in 15,985

Best ever in a state: #12 in Kansas, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Texas#516281 in 3,454
Missouri#61151 in 5,899
Ohio#97951 in 13,472
California#1,35391 in 15,985
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Florida———
Georgia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Illinois———
Indiana———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Kentucky———
Louisiana———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Michigan———
Minnesota———
Mississippi———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
New York———
North Carolina———
North Dakota———
Oklahoma———
Oregon———
Pennsylvania———
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 Velma
Momentum · girls
Rising
  • 2,245 spots since 2024 (#7,967 → #5,722)
  • 1,490 spots since 2020 (#7,212 → #5,722)
  • 8,760 spots since 2015 (#14,482 → #5,722)
  • Biggest jump: 125 spots in 1885 (#479 → #354)
  • Biggest drop: 165 spots in 1972 (#828 → #993)
Rise & fade · girls
32 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1912 at #88 (1,403 births)
  • Births halved by 1955, 43 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 14 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 14 yrs · run 1905–1917
  • Top 1,000: 94 yrs · run 1880–1973
Share of babies · girls
1 in 373
  • Highest: 1 in 373 girls born in 1907 were named Velma (0.27%)
  • Latest: 1 in 76,537 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
  • Its best rank, #88 in 1912, was only 1 in 398 (0.25%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 26.4% of all girls named Velma (22,875) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s358#274 (1887)#366
1890s2,099#139 (1899)#191
1900s6,558#90 (1908)#104
1910s18,631#88 (1912)#95
1920s22,875#105 (1920)#118
1930s14,250#127 (1930)#150
1940s9,272#188 (1941)#223
1950s6,861#267 (1950)#330
1960s3,696#406 (1960)#525
1970s1,134#781 (1970)#1,138
1980s512#1,455 (1981)#2,233
1990s191#2,886 (1991)#5,734
2000s97#7,444 (2002)#11,060
2010s107#5,785 (2018)#10,786
2020s111#5,172 (2022)#6,479

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.

Velma in 1976

girls
#1,191
95 births · 1 in 15,422 girls

Top girls' names in 1976

  1. #1Jennifer59,473
  2. #2Amy31,339
  3. #3Melissa25,094
  4. #4Heather24,192
  5. #5Angela22,038
  6. #6Michelle19,550
  7. #7Kimberly18,962
  8. #8Jessica18,368
  9. #9Lisa17,346
  10. #10Amanda15,588
  11. #1,191Velma95
More about 1976

girls

1,465,099 girls got a published name in 1976; 1 in 15,422 of them was named Velma, which outranked 89.1% of the 10,913 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Velma
  1. #1,182Roxann96
  2. #1,182Scarlett96
  3. #1,182Star96
  4. #1,191Velma95
  5. #1,191Alena95
  6. #1,191Amalia95
  7. #1,191Annamarie95
  8. #1,206Alexia94
  9. #1,206Amity94
  10. #1,206Dalia94

Tied with 14 names at #1,191; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1975
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,548Rhiannon#4,141 → #593
  2. ↑ 3,533Mackenzie#4,370 → #837
  3. ↑ 3,060Khalilah#3,774 → #714
  4. ↑ 1,663Kenisha#2,612 → #949
  5. ↑ 1,455Latoria#2,411 → #956
Fallers
  1. ↓ 821Nyree#926 → #1,747
  2. ↓ 668Syreeta#778 → #1,446
  3. ↓ 505Cher#994 → #1,499
  4. ↓ 398Kandice#957 → #1,355
  5. ↓ 370Racquel#973 → #1,343

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

See the top 100 for 1976 →