Wilma
Girl name · #3647 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Wilma? In official American birth records, Wilma has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Wilma is currently the #3647 girl name in the United States — 41 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #4403, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 43,902 girls born in 2025 was named Wilma.
The 145-year story
Wilma first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1925, when 4,175 girls were named Wilma — good for #62 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.
Babies named Wilma per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Wilma against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wilma in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Wilma is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Wilma will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Wilma is most common
State-level data for Wilma is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Wilma
Statistically, parents drawn to Wilma tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Thelma, Irma, Elma, Verna, and Rhoda.
ThelmaIrmaElmaVernaRhodaNormaBerthaHilda
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wilma | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 41 | #3645 |
| 2024 | 37 | #3963 |
| 2023 | 34 | #4191 |
| 2022 | 43 | #3595 |
| 2021 | 31 | #4413 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3778 |
| 2019 | 36 | #4006 |
| 2018 | 42 | #3614 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4220 |
| 2016 | 23 | #5622 |
| 2015 | 32 | #4403 |
| 2014 | 20 | #6207 |
| 2013 | 32 | #4422 |
| 2012 | 25 | #5398 |
| 2011 | 28 | #4915 |
| 2010 | 28 | #4974 |
| 2009 | 31 | #4677 |
| 2008 | 27 | #5279 |
| 2007 | 26 | #5377 |
| 2006 | 23 | #5709 |
| 2005 | 26 | #4958 |
| 2004 | 29 | #4601 |
| 2003 | 27 | #4668 |
| 2002 | 35 | #3730 |
| 2001 | 29 | #4209 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Wilma?
In official American birth records, the name Wilma first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Wilma a popular girl name?
Wilma ranked #3647 among girls in 2025 with 41 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4403.
When was the name Wilma most popular?
Wilma peaked in 1925, when 4,175 American girls received the name (ranked #62 that year). Since 1925 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Wilma?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 43,902 newborn American girls was named Wilma. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.