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Elma as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Elma

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The baby name Elma is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɛlmə/ (EL-muh).

Elma is Germanic in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Germanic
Pronunciation: /ˈɛlmə/ (EL-muh)

What is the meaning of the name Elma ?

The baby name Elma is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɛlmə/ (EL-muh).

Elma is Germanic in Origin.

Elma is a feminine given name with multiple credible roots. In Germanic onomastics it functions as a short form of names built on the element helm/helma (“helmet, protection”), such as Helma, Wilhelmina, and Anselma; in this line its meanings cluster around “protector,” “resolute protector,” or “divine protection.” In Turkish elma is the everyday word for “apple,” a symbol of beauty and vitality, and the name spread into Bosnian usage through Ottoman influence. Elma is also sometimes treated as a softened variant of Alma.

The name appears in English- and Dutch-language records from the 19th century and enjoyed modest popularity in the United States in the early 1900s before receding. It remains familiar in Scandinavia, the Low Countries, Turkey, and the Western Balkans. Variant or related forms include Helma, Wilma, Elmina, Elmira, Alma, and Thelma; a masculine cognate is Elmo.

Elma has the following similar or variant Names

Elma – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2008 #1 — 959
HT Girls 0 #23 1 950
NA 0 #32 2 2,537
HN Girls 0 #38 1 884
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
CY 0 #60 1 1,632
LU 0 #61 6 2,830
AL 0 #68 9 2,372
RS Girls 0 #72 69 1,651
AO 0 #76 2 2,729
SI 0 #76 5 1,612
RS 0 #80 5 923
JM 0 #93 1 3,714
SI Girls 0 #94 89 2,769
ID Girls 0 #102 1 3,319
QA 0 #102 5 7,011
TW 0 #102 2 4,523
BN Girls 0 #106 9 5,459
PH 0 #107 4 5,607
Norway Girls 2025 #114 13 453
Sweden Girls 2022 #118 64 1,568
KW 0 #118 4 5,216
OM 0 #118 4 6,215
Switzerland Girls 2024 #126 10 1,786
AZ Boys 0 #131 1 1,400
GR 0 #134 2 3,911
MU 0 #137 1 3,613
BN Boys 0 #139 1 6,332
BW Girls 0 #150 2 4,216
MT Girls 0 #152 2 3,773
RS Boys 0 #152 3 2,277
AL Girls 0 #160 64 4,141
LU Girls 0 #167 19 4,850
AO Girls 0 #169 41 4,575
HR 0 #177 5 2,081
AE 0 #179 9 10,220
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
NA Girls 0 #187 38 7,146
PH Girls 0 #191 222 13,098
AR 0 #192 2 2,915
Austria 0 #197 17 850
LT Girls 0 #200 1 1,904
DK 0 #202 5 5,198
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
PL 0 #212 1 2,600
BG Boys 0 #220 1 3,850
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
MO Girls 0 #232 20 7,056
GR Girls 0 #233 10 6,293
BD 0 #234 8 5,992
Finland Girls 2026 #237 1,543 3,895
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
PT 0 #247 4 4,161
AO Boys 0 #249 1 5,568
JM Girls 0 #250 10 7,507
JP Girls 0 #250 2 6,592
QA Girls 0 #253 64 15,378
TW Girls 0 #253 24 8,139
TW Boys 0 #256 1 7,111
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
HR Girls 0 #265 25 3,687
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
Canada Girls 2024 #276 10 2,795
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
GT 0 #298 17 5,948
BD Girls 0 #300 87 8,413
DK Girls 0 #302 15 7,429
SA 0 #306 7 10,560
Austria Girls 0 #314 109 1,885
MY 0 #320 11 12,352
PE 0 #325 5 6,350
BR 0 #329 17 5,969
KZ Girls 0 #330 3 5,862
DK Boys 0 #332 1 7,401
JO Girls 0 #332 8 7,570
CN Girls 0 #333 17 8,829
GH Girls 0 #336 2 6,973
Finland Girls 0 #342 50 1,368
KW Girls 0 #342 175 19,177
NL 0 #346 46 2,481
OM Girls 0 #346 51 15,987
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
HK 0 #354 4 8,483
MU Girls 0 #355 8 8,539
SD Girls 0 #357 2 7,678
BO 0 #362 20 6,868
France Girls 2021 #373 33 3,185
JO Boys 0 #388 2 7,057
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
ZA 0 #400 48 14,421
MX 0 #403 11 8,339
GT Girls 0 #405 101 7,500
PH Boys 0 #407 2 11,440
EG 0 #409 4 6,387
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
PT Girls 0 #416 36 7,952
Germany 0 #428 10 2,542
CL 0 #432 3 6,867
AE Girls 0 #436 118 20,968
PA Girls 0 #437 45 9,861
SD Boys 0 #463 4 10,523
AR Boys 0 #476 8 7,628
IQ Girls 0 #483 22 11,303
UY Girls 0 #485 26 6,731
GT Boys 0 #494 6 7,625
NL Girls 0 #498 556 5,933
PS Girls 0 #498 26 10,981
BH 0 #499 55 17,937
BO Girls 0 #503 109 9,488
PA Boys 0 #503 3 9,305
SG Girls 0 #504 83 18,916
CR Girls 0 #505 28 11,342
CR Boys 0 #508 3 10,188
CO 0 #509 2 7,768
HK Girls 0 #509 107 16,104
IR Girls 0 #515 16 8,334
RU Girls 0 #515 9 11,913
CM Girls 0 #522 19 11,671
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
AR Girls 0 #548 52 8,289
LY 0 #555 5 12,703
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
BD Boys 0 #567 10 10,045
CM Boys 0 #568 8 12,054
ZA Girls 0 #569 766 25,928
BO Boys 0 #577 16 9,244
BR Girls 0 #597 391 12,708
IL Girls 0 #604 14 11,648
LB 0 #622 37 13,263
IL Boys 0 #624 2 10,983
SA Girls 0 #625 320 25,931
CL Boys 0 #648 18 13,390
IN Girls 0 #649 6 13,121
IT 0 #680 35 4,183
IQ Boys 0 #696 2 13,071
PE Girls 0 #705 244 14,861
SY 0 #707 22 11,684
Germany Girls 0 #718 121 4,949
SG Boys 0 #734 6 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
NG Girls 0 #757 30 15,093
BR Boys 0 #779 7 12,213
EG Boys 0 #779 108 15,035
CL Girls 0 #782 70 14,098
KW Boys 0 #804 3 18,755
TN 0 #808 22 13,765
Spain Girls 0 #832 152 5,561
PE Boys 0 #852 27 14,506
MX Boys 0 #861 122 16,355
CO Boys 0 #870 51 15,656
MY Girls 0 #877 118 24,821
United States Girls 2024 #887 30 8,487
MX Girls 0 #890 305 17,781
OM Boys 0 #917 2 17,948
CO Girls 0 #918 161 16,140
Spain Boys 0 #920 11 5,610
EG Girls 0 #931 29 14,742
Germany Boys 0 #942 11 5,697
NG Boys 0 #997 5 16,906
IT Girls 0 #1,034 431 9,415
IN Boys 0 #1,037 3 16,750
MA 0 #1,064 65 20,986
TR 0 #1,088 124 19,440
DZ 0 #1,131 46 20,130
AE Boys 0 #1,140 4 22,615
ZA Boys 0 #1,166 13 25,619
MY Boys 0 #1,174 9 25,439
IT Boys 0 #1,459 13 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,585 30 28,008

Elma is popular in 86 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Norway
Switzerland
Sweden
United States

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Elma

Elma is predominantly a girl's name.
Elma is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈɛlmə/ (EL-muh).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Alma, Elmira, Helma, Elmie, Elmae and Wilhelmina (short/diminutive).
Yes, very popular — Elma ranked #1 in Ireland in 2008, and appears in official birth registries across 9 countries.
Elma ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2008).
Elma's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #389 in 2011 to #373 in 2021 in France.