Fun Facts About the Name Velma
- A favorite of earlier generations: Velma appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 14 years. Its last run lasted 13 consecutive years, from 1905 through 1917.
- More than 87 thousand babies named Velma: U.S. records list 87,202 babies given the name Velma from 1880 through 2025. Even 450 boys received the name Velma - about 1 boy for every 193 girls.
What Does the Name Velma Mean?
Velma is an English feminine name. It is generally explained as a variant of Wilma or Vilma, which are short forms of Wilhelmina, the feminine of the German name Wilhelm. Those names go back to the Old High German elements willo, meaning 'will' or 'desire,' and helm, meaning 'helmet' or 'protection.' The customary meaning given to Velma is therefore 'resolute protector,' or more literally 'willed protection.' That link to Wilhelm is the usual explanation rather than a certainty, and names that merely look similar, such as Thelma and Selma, have separate origins.
Velma Name History & Origins
Velma is an English feminine name that came into use in the nineteenth century, most likely as a variant spelling of Wilma or Vilma. Wilma is a short form of Wilhelmina, the feminine of the German Wilhelm, while Vilma is the Hungarian and Czech form of the same name. Velma follows the same shortening pattern, using an e in the first syllable instead of the i of Wilma or Vilma rather than a different root.
The name's best-known bearers today are fictional. Velma Dinkley is one of the teenage investigators in the animated series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, which began in 1969, and Velma Kelly is a leading character in the musical Chicago (1975), based on the 1926 play by Maurine Dallas Watkins. A real-world bearer was the American animal-welfare campaigner Velma Johnston (1912 - 1977), who worked to protect wild horses.
How Popular is the Name Velma?
Velma recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1921. Velma ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1903 through 1903, then returned in 1905 and remained through 1917.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,903 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2024 | #8,369 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #5,730 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 2022 | #5,295 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 2021 | #7,604 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2020 | #7,543 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #8,106 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2018 | #5,991 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2017 | #12,646 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #14,233 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #16,290 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #8,937 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2013 | #11,902 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #19,372 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #8,168 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #12,217 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #11,407 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #17,372 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #20,399 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #12,376 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #14,437 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #8,230 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #9,647 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #7,804 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #10,983 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #8,518 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #8,204 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #6,353 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1997 | #8,316 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #7,562 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #7,026 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #5,238 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #4,993 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1992 | #6,301 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #2,931 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 1990 | #3,356 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1989 | #3,327 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1988 | #2,865 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1987 | #2,527 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1986 | #2,382 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 1985 | #2,746 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1984 | #2,048 | 50 | 0.0030% |
| 1983 | #1,906 | 55 | 0.0033% |
| 1982 | #1,871 | 58 | 0.0034% |
| 1981 | #1,474 | 83 | 0.0050% |
| 1980 | #1,527 | 78 | 0.0047% |
| 1979 | #1,516 | 78 | 0.0049% |
| 1978 | #1,410 | 83 | 0.0054% |
| 1977 | #1,467 | 76 | 0.0050% |
| 1976 | #1,205 | 95 | 0.0065% |
| 1975 | #1,228 | 94 | 0.0064% |
| 1974 | #1,080 | 109 | 0.0074% |
| 1973 | #933 | 131 | 0.0090% |
| 1972 | #996 | 120 | 0.0079% |
| 1971 | #832 | 167 | 0.0100% |
| 1970 | #783 | 181 | 0.0104% |
| 1969 | #732 | 191 | 0.0113% |
| 1968 | #652 | 222 | 0.0135% |
| 1967 | #578 | 273 | 0.0165% |
| 1966 | #546 | 299 | 0.0177% |
| 1965 | #500 | 362 | 0.0205% |
| 1964 | #488 | 395 | 0.0208% |
| 1963 | #478 | 407 | 0.0211% |
| 1962 | #446 | 464 | 0.0236% |
| 1961 | #428 | 524 | 0.0260% |
| 1960 | #407 | 559 | 0.0276% |
| 1959 | #400 | 550 | 0.0272% |
| 1958 | #417 | 502 | 0.0250% |
| 1957 | #352 | 668 | 0.0327% |
| 1956 | #333 | 692 | 0.0345% |
| 1955 | #338 | 634 | 0.0324% |
| 1954 | #309 | 749 | 0.0386% |
| 1953 | #304 | 737 | 0.0392% |
| 1952 | #300 | 706 | 0.0381% |
| 1951 | #277 | 798 | 0.0443% |
| 1950 | #267 | 825 | 0.0482% |
| 1949 | #272 | 798 | 0.0466% |
| 1948 | #254 | 871 | 0.0513% |
| 1947 | #260 | 848 | 0.0478% |
| 1946 | #242 | 875 | 0.0557% |
| 1945 | #223 | 861 | 0.0659% |
| 1944 | #211 | 935 | 0.0704% |
| 1943 | #201 | 1,045 | 0.0749% |
| 1942 | #196 | 1,052 | 0.0779% |
| 1941 | #188 | 1,001 | 0.0829% |
| 1940 | #188 | 986 | 0.0862% |
| 1939 | #178 | 1,068 | 0.0974% |
| 1938 | #174 | 1,160 | 0.1051% |
| 1937 | #164 | 1,218 | 0.1145% |
| 1936 | #167 | 1,180 | 0.1134% |
| 1935 | #147 | 1,352 | 0.1289% |
| 1934 | #144 | 1,426 | 0.1366% |
| 1933 | #137 | 1,481 | 0.1469% |
| 1932 | #133 | 1,689 | 0.1583% |
| 1931 | #131 | 1,758 | 0.1651% |
| 1930 | #127 | 1,918 | 0.1703% |
| 1929 | #128 | 1,930 | 0.1729% |
| 1928 | #114 | 2,290 | 0.1986% |
| 1927 | #118 | 2,285 | 0.1916% |
| 1926 | #124 | 2,120 | 0.1788% |
| 1925 | #128 | 2,177 | 0.1788% |
| 1924 | #123 | 2,272 | 0.1819% |
| 1923 | #116 | 2,337 | 0.1937% |
| 1922 | #113 | 2,367 | 0.1971% |
| 1921 | #108 | 2,606 | 0.2113% |
| 1920 | #105 | 2,491 | 0.2079% |
| 1919 | #104 | 2,341 | 0.2071% |
| 1918 | #103 | 2,439 | 0.2107% |
| 1917 | #99 | 2,411 | 0.2230% |
| 1916 | #99 | 2,319 | 0.2221% |
| 1915 | #94 | 2,287 | 0.2325% |
| 1914 | #92 | 1,795 | 0.2357% |
| 1913 | #89 | 1,556 | 0.2491% |
| 1912 | #88 | 1,403 | 0.2514% |
| 1911 | #90 | 1,045 | 0.2498% |
| 1910 | #90 | 1,035 | 0.2610% |
| 1909 | #92 | 857 | 0.2468% |
| 1908 | #90 | 860 | 0.2572% |
| 1907 | #90 | 854 | 0.2681% |
| 1906 | #94 | 721 | 0.2442% |
| 1905 | #95 | 722 | 0.2476% |
| 1904 | #101 | 615 | 0.2233% |
| 1903 | #99 | 589 | 0.2248% |
| 1902 | #113 | 526 | 0.1992% |
| 1901 | #130 | 388 | 0.1621% |
| 1900 | #141 | 426 | 0.1421% |
| 1899 | #139 | 334 | 0.1433% |
| 1898 | #152 | 331 | 0.1279% |
| 1897 | #160 | 280 | 0.1196% |
| 1896 | #174 | 249 | 0.1047% |
| 1895 | #189 | 208 | 0.0890% |
| 1894 | #190 | 196 | 0.0879% |
| 1893 | #202 | 156 | 0.0733% |
| 1892 | #212 | 146 | 0.0688% |
| 1891 | #236 | 103 | 0.0555% |
| 1890 | #257 | 96 | 0.0504% |
| 1889 | #281 | 72 | 0.0404% |
| 1888 | #287 | 67 | 0.0375% |
| 1887 | #277 | 59 | 0.0404% |
| 1886 | #377 | 33 | 0.0228% |
| 1885 | #364 | 32 | 0.0241% |
| 1884 | #500 | 18 | 0.0140% |
| 1883 | #372 | 25 | 0.0223% |
| 1882 | #456 | 17 | 0.0158% |
| 1881 | #392 | 19 | 0.0207% |
| 1880 | #434 | 16 | 0.0176% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | #2,749 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1954 | #4,334 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1949 | #3,670 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,505 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1945 | #2,982 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1944 | #2,303 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1940 | #2,854 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1939 | #3,940 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #2,473 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1937 | #3,986 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1936 | #2,293 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1935 | #2,123 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1934 | #2,732 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1933 | #2,991 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #1,504 | 23 | 0.0022% |
| 1931 | #2,641 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1930 | #2,071 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1929 | #2,193 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1928 | #2,381 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1927 | #2,693 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1926 | #1,907 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1925 | #1,676 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1924 | #1,835 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1923 | #2,606 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1922 | #2,999 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1921 | #3,848 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1920 | #1,959 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1919 | #1,620 | 22 | 0.0022% |
| 1918 | #2,387 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1917 | #2,550 | 11 | 0.0012% |
| 1916 | #2,530 | 11 | 0.0012% |
| 1915 | #2,300 | 12 | 0.0014% |
| 1914 | #2,637 | 8 | 0.0012% |
| 1913 | #1,494 | 14 | 0.0027% |
| 1912 | #2,884 | 5 | 0.0012% |
| 1911 | #1,376 | 8 | 0.0035% |
| 1910 | #1,304 | 8 | 0.0041% |
| 1909 | #1,148 | 8 | 0.0049% |
| 1908 | #1,363 | 6 | 0.0039% |
| 1907 | #1,334 | 6 | 0.0041% |
| 1904 | #1,192 | 6 | 0.0047% |
| 1901 | #1,200 | 5 | 0.0047% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Velma
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Velma Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are fixed in your opinions, firm in your friendships and square in your dealings with others. You are an excellent worker. Since you are both possessive and emotional, you can be either very practical or very impractical and unpredictable. Your dual nature needs to become steadfast. You are the marrying kind. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Velma's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Velma's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.