Alma

Did you know?

A few things about Alma you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Alma

Alma Mahler

Austrian composer, art collector, author, editor, and socialite (1879-1964)

Choose Alma and your child shares a first name with Alma Mahler, an Austrian composer, art collector, author, editor, and socialite. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Alma, like who?” Alma Mahler's Wikipedia article is available in 50 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Alma Mahler on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Not known; Specht does not identify photographer, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 2,333 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Alma, 689 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Alma would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryAlma has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Almas, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1899, when it ranked #51. Today it's #449, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🚀TrendAlma has climbed 111 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #449. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedAlma is most popular in Florida, where it ranks #209, followed by Minnesota (#221) and Oregon (#273). It's in the top 1,000 in 29 states.
• 💬MeaningIn Latin, Alma means “nourishing, kind”. Our records link it to Arabic, Celtic and English roots.

About the name Alma

Alma is a girl name of Arabic, Celtic and English origin meaning “nourishing, kind”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with A and ending in “-lma”. US birth records list Alma for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1899, when it ranked #51 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #449, with 689 babies.

Origin:Arabic namesCeltic namesEnglish namesLatin namesSpanish names