Total births
595
Girls' name · since 1880
Helma
Helma has 595 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1916 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 595
- total births
- 1880–1952
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that decade
Helma is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 595 have been recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Helma has been recorded 595 times among girls since 1880, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 1952.
- 595 total births
- 1880–1952 years on record
- 1910s peak decade
- 26% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
595 girls have been named Helma since 1880, peaking in the 1910s, last recorded in 1952.
- 595
- total births
- 1880–1952
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that decade
1910s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Helma was born in this single decade.
1916
Single peak year
25 babies were named Helma in 1916 - its busiest year on record.
Helma's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Helma's SSA record in two at 1912 and the more recent half accounts for 55% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 45%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1887, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1916 peak of 25, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Helma at a glance
Last recorded 1952Peak year
1916
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Helma popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1952
- Peak year (1916)
- 25
- Annual births at peak, across 73 years of records
Helma by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Helma's strongest decade.
154 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Helma births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 41
1880s
41 births
- 1890s
1890s
115 births
- 1900s
1900s
95 births
- 1910s
1910s
154 births
- 1920s
1920s
125 births
- 1930s 49
1930s
49 births
- 1940s 11
1940s
11 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 154 births (26% of all-time use).
How Helma 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 Helma's total volume
Helma vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Helma by state
Where Helma concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Wisconsin | | 6 | 1.0% |
Wisconsin share of Helma's total US births 1.0%
6 of 595 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Helma? ▼
595 babies have been named Helma since 1880. It was last recorded in 1952. The peak year was 1916 with 25 births.
When was Helma most popular? ▼
Helma was most popular in the 1910s decade with 154 total births. The single peak year was 1916.
Where is Helma most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Helma are Wisconsin (6 births).
How long has the name Helma been used? ▼
Records for Helma go back to 1880, giving 73 years of history through 1952.
What names are similar to Helma? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Helen, Helena, Helene, Hellen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Helma's data
- Helma's decade-level peak was the 1910s (154 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1950s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Wisconsin records the most Helmas (6 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Wisconsin 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 Helma
Nearby Names Like Helma
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Helma
Helen Girl
#425 1,024,202 births
Helena Girl
#414 40,412 births
Helene Girl
#3759 33,334 births
Hellen Girl
#1637 8,353 births
Helga Girl
2,209 births
Compare Helma side by side: Helma vs Helen Helma vs Helena Helma vs Helene
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1880–1952 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Helma: Baby Name Since 1880 - 595 Births, Peak 1916." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/helma. 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 Helma 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.