Alma
Girl name · #449 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Alma? In official American birth records, Alma has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Alma is currently the #449 girl name in the United States — 689 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #684, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,612 girls born in 2025 was named Alma.
Babies named Alma per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Alma first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 277 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 3,650 girls were named Alma — good for #73 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alma against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alma in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alma is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Alma is most common
Geography matters for names, and Alma is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Alma is most common in MN (1.2 per 1,000), FL (1 per 1,000), OR (1 per 1,000), WA (0.7 per 1,000), MA (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Alma is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Alma
Statistically, parents drawn to Alma tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rosa, Edith, Celia, Helen, and Lena.
RosaEdithCeliaHelenLenaLeonaCeceliaIrene
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alma | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 689 | #449 |
| 2024 | 659 | #471 |
| 2023 | 666 | #461 |
| 2022 | 658 | #483 |
| 2021 | 613 | #507 |
| 2020 | 524 | #560 |
| 2019 | 491 | #615 |
| 2018 | 458 | #648 |
| 2017 | 455 | #651 |
| 2016 | 392 | #724 |
| 2015 | 417 | #684 |
| 2014 | 421 | #675 |
| 2013 | 402 | #701 |
| 2012 | 313 | #852 |
| 2011 | 298 | #875 |
| 2010 | 318 | #844 |
| 2009 | 349 | #810 |
| 2008 | 369 | #789 |
| 2007 | 415 | #701 |
| 2006 | 475 | #614 |
| 2005 | 481 | #591 |
| 2004 | 453 | #608 |
| 2003 | 421 | #635 |
| 2002 | 515 | #532 |
| 2001 | 527 | #512 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Alma?
In official American birth records, the name Alma first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 277 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Alma a popular girl name?
Alma ranked #449 among girls in 2025 with 689 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #684.
When was the name Alma most popular?
Alma peaked in 1918, when 3,650 American girls received the name (ranked #73 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alma?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,612 newborn American girls was named Alma. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.