 English businesswoman and public benefactor Elma Yerburgh (1864–1946) | |
| Gender | Primarily feminine |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Meaning | Feminine form of Elmer, short form of Wilhelmina or various names ending in -elma |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Alma, Elmer, Elmira, Helma, Wilhelmina |
Elma is a primarily feminine given name of various origins.
As an English name, it is considered a feminine version of the name Elmer, or a combination of the names Elizabeth and Mary, [1] a diminutive form of Wilhelmina and various names ending in -elma, or a variant of Alma, Elmira, or Helma. [2]
In the Balkans, Elma is popular among Bosniaks in the former Yugoslav nations. The name has been among the 100 most popular names for girls born in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2009 and 2024. [3] In this region, the male equivalent is Elmin.
In Brazil, Elma was among the 1,000 most popular names for girls born between 1930 and 1980. In the United States, it was among the 1,000 most popular names for girls born in the United States between 1880 and 1958. [4]
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie.
Amanda is a Latin feminine gerundive name meaning, literally, "she who must be loved". Other translations, with similar meaning, could be "deserving to be loved," "worthy of love," or "loved very much by everyone." Its diminutive form includes Mandy, Manda and Amy. It is common in countries where Germanic and Romance languages are spoken.
Blair is a Scots-English-language name of Scottish Gaelic origin.
Margot is a feminine given name, a French diminutive of Marguerite that has long been used as an independent name. Variant spellings in use include Margo and Margaux. It is also occasionally a surname.
Elma or ELMA may refer to:
The name Felicia derives from the Latin adjective felix, meaning "happy, lucky", though in the neuter plural form felicia it literally means "happy things" and often occurred in the phrase tempora felicia, "happy times". The sense of it as a feminine personal name appeared in post-Classical use and is of uncertain origin. It is associated with saints, poets, astronomical objects, plant genera, fictional characters, and animals, especially cats.
Edith is a feminine given name derived from the Old English word ēad, meaning wealth or prosperity, in combination with the Old English gȳð, meaning strife, and is in common usage in this form in English, German, many Scandinavian languages and Dutch. Its French form is Édith. Contractions and variations of this name include Ditte, Dita, and Edie.
Agnes is a feminine given name derived from the Greek Ἁγνή Hagnḗ, meaning 'pure' or 'holy'. The name passed to Italian as Agnese, to French as Agnès, to Portuguese as Inês, and to Spanish as Inés. It is also written as "Agness". The Greek name descends from the Proto-Indo-European *h₁yaǵ-, meaning 'to sacrifice; to worship', from which also the Vedic term yajña originates. The name is mostly used in Greece and in countries that speak Germanic languages.
Renée is a French feminine given name and surname.
Nancy is an English language given name for women. The name Nancy was originally a diminutive form of Annis, a medieval English vernacular form of Agnes. In some English dialects, "mine" was used instead of "my" and "Mine Ancy" eventually became Nancy. The name was also later used as an English diminutive of Anne or Ann. It has been used as an independent name since the 18th century. In some instances it replaced variant Nanny, which was associated with the stereotype of a common, promiscuous woman from the 1600s onward. Spelling variants in use include Nancea, Nancee, Nancey, Nanci, Nancie, Nancsi, Nancye, Nanncey, Nanncy, Nansee, and Nansi. Similar names include Nan, Nance, Nanette, Nannerl, and Nannie.
Barbara is a given name used in numerous languages. It is the feminine form of the Greek word barbaros meaning "stranger" or "foreign". In Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara was imprisoned in a tower by her father. She was then martyred by her father when she refused to renounce Christianity. According to legend, her father was then punished with death by lightning. As such, Saint Barbara is a protectress against fire and lightning. Early Christians occasionally referred to themselves as "barbarians" in opposition to the pagan Romans and Greeks. The story of Saint Barbara is said to have been an inspiration for the fairy tale Rapunzel and other European stories that feature a maiden in a tower.
Bridget is an Irish female name derived from the Gaelic noun brígh, meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue". An alternative meaning of the name is "exalted one". Its popularity, especially in Ireland, is largely related to the popularity of Saint Brigid of Kildare, who was so popular in Ireland she was known as "Mary of the Gael". This saint took on many of the characteristics of the early Celtic goddess Brigid, who was the goddess of agriculture and healing and possibly also of poetry and fire. One of her epithets was "Brigid of the Holy Fire". In German and Scandinavian countries, the popularity of the name spread due to Saint Bridget of Sweden.
Jennifer, also spelled Jenifer or Jenefer, is a feminine given name, the Cornish form of Guinevere, that became popular in the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
Hassan or Hasan is an Arabic, Irish, Scottish, or Jewish surname.
Helen is a feminine given name derived from the Ancient Greek name Ἑλένη, Helenē, which descends from Proto-Hellenic *Ηwelénā, from a pre-Hellenic or late Proto-Indo-European *Swelénā, ultimately derived from the Indo-European root *swel-.
Mary is a feminine given name, the English form of the name Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek name Μαρία, María or Μαριάμ, Mariam, found in the Septuagint and New Testament. The latter reflects the original Hebrew pronunciation of the name מרים, as attested by the Septuagint. The vowel "a" in a closed unaccented syllable later became "i", as seen in other names such as "Bil'am" (Balaam) and "Shimshon" (Samson).
Leila is a feminine given name primarily found in the Middle East, including Semitic speaking countries, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. In the Latin alphabet, the name is commonly spelled in multiple ways, including Leila, Layla, Laylah, Laila, Leyla, and Leylah.
Rosemary is a feminine given name, a combination of the names Rose which is a flower that belongs to the Rose family, and from the name Mary which is the name of the Virgin Mary and means Strong, Fertile. It can also be used in reference to the herb named rosemary. Rosemary has been in steady use in the United States and has ranked among the top 1,000 for 110 years. It was ranked as the 754th most popular name for American girls born in 1992. Its greatest period of popularity in the United States was between 1925 and 1950, when it was ranked among the top 150 names for girls. Rosemarie is another variant, and Romy is a German nickname for the name.
Zahra is a female given name and surname.
Deirdre is a feminine given name of Celtic origin and of unknown meaning. Deirdre is the name of a tragic heroine of Irish mythology. More attention was drawn to the name during the early 20th Century in Ireland and throughout the Anglosphere after W. B. Yeats published his poem Deirdre in 1907 and playwright J.M. Synge published his play Deirdre of the Sorrows in 1910. There are a number of spelling variants and pronunciations of the name in use.