Total births
1,229
Girls' name · since 1907
Nelma
Nelma has 1,229 recorded births since 1907 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1926 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 1,229
- total births
- 1907–1960
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
Nelma is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 1,229 have been recorded since 1907.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nelma has been recorded 1,229 times among girls since 1907, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1907 to 1960.
- 1,229 total births
- 1907–1960 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 34% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,229 girls have been named Nelma since 1907, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1960.
- 1,229
- total births
- 1907–1960
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Nelma was born in this single decade.
1926
Single peak year
50 babies were named Nelma in 1926 - its busiest year on record.
Nelma's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nelma's full recorded timeline at 1933, 42% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 58% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1907, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1926 peak of 50 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nelma at a glance
Last recorded 1960Peak year
1926
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1907
Nelma popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1907–1960
- Peak year (1926)
- 50
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Nelma by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Nelma's strongest decade.
415 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Nelma births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 10
1900s
10 births
- 1910s
1910s
184 births
- 1920s
1920s
415 births
- 1930s
1930s
336 births
- 1940s
1940s
195 births
- 1950s 82
1950s
82 births
- 1960s 7
1960s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 415 births (34% of all-time use).
How Nelma 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 Nelma's total volume
Nelma vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Nelma by state
Where Nelma concentrates geographically, total births since 1907
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 127 | 10.3% |
| #2 | West Virginia | | 16 | 1.3% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 13 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 11 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 10 | 0.8% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 10 | 0.8% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.4% |
Texas share of Nelma's total US births 10.3%
Even split
127 of 1,229 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.
Nelma appears in 12 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nelma? ▼
1,229 babies have been named Nelma since 1907. It was last recorded in 1960. The peak year was 1926 with 50 births.
When was Nelma most popular? ▼
Nelma was most popular in the 1920s decade with 415 total births. The single peak year was 1926.
Where is Nelma most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nelma are Texas (127 births), West Virginia (16 births), Alabama (13 births).
How long has the name Nelma been used? ▼
Records for Nelma go back to 1907, giving 54 years of history through 1960.
What names are similar to Nelma? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nellie, Nell, Nelda, Nelly, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nelma's data
- Nelma's decade-level peak was the 1920s (415 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Nelmas (127 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 Nelma
Nearby Names Like Nelma
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nelma
Nellie Girl
#521 152,691 births
Nell Girl
#1457 27,612 births
Nelda Girl
#8966 20,139 births
Nelly Girl
#1360 7,792 births
Nelle Girl
#5022 5,794 births
Compare Nelma side by side: Nelma vs Nellie Nelma vs Nell Nelma vs Nelda
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1907–1960 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nelma: Baby Name Since 1907 - 1,229 Births, Peak 1926." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nelma. 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 Nelma 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 June 2026.