Unisex name · since 1884

Delma

Delma has 8,454 recorded births since 1884 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1926 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

8,454
total births
1884–2023
years on record
1920s
peak decade
21%
born in that decade

Delma sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 8,454 recorded since 1884.

Delma has 8,454 recorded births among girls since 1884, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1884 to 2023.

  • 8,454 total births
  • 1884–2023 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 21% born in that decade

Data updated Jul 2026

The verdict

8,454 girls have been named Delma since 1884, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2023.

8,454
total births
1884–2023
years on record
1920s
peak decade
21%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

21% of everyone ever named Delma was born in this single decade.

1926
Single peak year

205 babies were named Delma in 1926 - its busiest year on record.

Delma's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Delma splits its recorded history at 1947: 33% of all births land in the more recent half, 67% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1885 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1926 peak of 205 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Delma at a glance

Last recorded 2023

Total births

8,454

Since 1884

140 years of records

Peak year

1926

205 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2023

Active since

1884

Recorded for 140 years

Last year on file: 2023

Delma popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–2023

Last recorded 2023
Peak year (1926)
205
Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
-50050100150200250 188419021918193419501966198219992023 5

Delma popularity over time - boys

1,447 total births recorded since 1905 (Delma as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 1,447 births
01020304050 190519151924193319421951196019691982 6

Delma by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1920s was Delma's strongest decade.

1,745 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.

Delma births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,745 births (21% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of July 2026

How Delma compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Delma's total volume

Delma vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Delma vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Delma
Delma vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Delma by state

Where Delma concentrates geographically, total births since 1884

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Delma
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Texas
1,588 18.8%
#2 West Virginia
292 3.5%
#3 Kentucky
276 3.3%
#4 Virginia
266 3.1%
#5 Missouri
207 2.4%
#6 North Carolina
197 2.3%
#7 Oklahoma
191 2.3%
#8 Tennessee
177 2.1%
Texas share of Delma's total US births 18.8%
Even split

1,588 of 8,454 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 36 reporting states.

Delma appears in 36 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Delma? ▼
8,454 babies have been named Delma since 1884. It was last recorded in 2023. The peak year was 1926 with 205 births.
When was Delma most popular? ▼
Delma was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,745 total births. The single peak year was 1926.
Where is Delma most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Delma are Texas (1,588 births), West Virginia (292 births), Kentucky (276 births).
Is Delma a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Delma is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 8,454 births, and as a boy's name it has 1,447 births.
How long has the name Delma been used? ▼
Delma has been recorded in Social Security data since 1884, spanning 140 years of data through 2023.
What names are similar to Delma? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Delores, Della, Delilah, Delaney, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Delma's data

  • Delma's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,745 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Texas records the most Delmas (1,588 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
  • Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Delma

Nearby Names Like Delma

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Delma

Delores Girl
#10300 117,821 births
Della Girl
#579 70,810 births
Delilah Girl
#50 66,683 births
Delaney Girl
#216 45,437 births
Delia Girl
#1509 37,318 births

Compare Delma side by side: Delma vs Delores Delma vs Della Delma vs Delilah

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Richelle #12308
8,456 births · Peak 1969
Sylvie #356
8,444 births · Peak 2025
Malaya #814
8,467 births · Peak 2014
Chantal #6694
8,469 births · Peak 1990
Jaylee #1288
8,472 births · Peak 2012
Yaritza #2908
8,431 births · Peak 1993
Kai #1131
8,478 births · Peak 2021
Frida #1245
8,491 births · Peak 2017

Data Sources

Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1884–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Delma: Baby Name Since 1884 - 8,454 Births, Peak 1926." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/delma. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Delma draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.