Wilma is a name of German origin, derived from the Germanic words "wil" meaning will or desire, and "helm" meaning helmet. Thus, the name Wilma means "resolute protection." It is often associated with strength, courage, and determination.
The name Wilma has been used throughout history, but it gained significant popularity in the 19th century when it became a popular choice among German parents. In the United States, Wilma began to appear more frequently in the early 20th century, especially among families of German descent.
Wilma was also popularized by some notable figures throughout history. One of the most famous is Wilma Rudolph, an American track and field athlete who won three gold medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics. She is considered one of the greatest women athletes of all time, and her success has undoubtedly contributed to the popularity of the name Wilma.
Despite its Germanic origins, Wilma has been used across different cultures and countries. Today, it is recognized as a unisex name but is more commonly used for females. While once considered an old-fashioned or outdated name, Wilma has seen a resurgence in recent years, with parents drawn to its strong and meaningful origin.
In popular culture, the name Wilma has been associated with various characters, such as Wilma Flintstone from the animated television series "The Flintstones." However, it is essential not to confuse the meaning of the name with any specific traits or characteristics attributed to these fictional characters. Instead, Wilma stands independently as a powerful and determined name with a rich history.
The name Wilma has had an interesting history of popularity over the past century and a half in the United States. According to the data provided, the name first appeared on record with five births in 1880. This number steadily increased over the next few years, reaching a peak of 437 births in 1897.
Interestingly, the popularity of the name Wilma then began to decline, dropping to 295 births in 1903. However, it started to rise again and reached an all-time high of 1788 births in 1914. After this peak, the number of girls named Wilma decreased once more, reaching a low of 19 births in 2014.
Despite these fluctuations, Wilma has remained a popular name for girls over time. From 1900 to 2023, there have been a total of 140,013 births registered with the name Wilma in the United States alone. This shows that while the popularity of the name may vary from year to year and decade to decade, it has consistently been a choice for parents looking to name their daughters over time.
In conclusion, although the statistics indicate some fluctuations in the popularity of the name Wilma over the years, it is clear that this name has remained a common choice among parents in the United States for well over a century. It will be interesting to see how its popularity continues to evolve in the coming decades.