Velma is an appealing and unique feminine given name of American origin. It was popularized by the cartoon character Velma Dinkley from the Scooby-Doo franchise, which first aired in the late 1960s. The name Velma is believed to have been inspired by the phrase "well, my," as it reflects a casual, friendly tone. This gives Velma an approachable and relatable quality, making it a charming choice for a girl's name.
The name Velma was quite popular during the early to mid-20th century, with a significant spike in births occurring between 1913 and 1928, peaking at 22 births in both 1924 and 1925. However, its popularity began to decline thereafter, dropping below 10 births per year from the late 1930s onwards, with only a handful of occurrences between 1946 and 1955. Overall, there were a total of 450 babies named Velma born over this period.