Wilma
Meaning
short form of Wilhelmina ("will helmet"); brought to America by German settlers in the 19th century
Famously borne by Wilma Mankiller, the first woman elected principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. Famously borne by Wilma Rudolph.
The formal names behind Wilma
Wilma is an established short form of this name.
Wilhelmina · Germanic origin · Dutch and German feminine form of Wilhelm ("will helmet")
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Wilma peaked in the 1910s and the 1930s in nearly equal measure.
Popularity in Brazil
24,097 people · the #939 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 8,403 · median age 58
Among people named Wilma living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1960s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 27 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Wilma
Most people given the name Wilma in the United States were born between 1940 and 1959. The Wilma you meet today is most often in her 70s or 80s.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Wilma deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Wilma truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Wilma fits with your family’s names and surname.
Keep exploring
German baby names · Names of revolutionaries and liberators · Names of sports stars
Does Wilma fit YOUR family?
nametree reads your family’s names and finds the ones that belong. Free, private, no ads.
Add Wilma to your family’s tree →