Thelma
English, Literary, meaning unknown
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Thelma Origin and Meaning
The name Thelma is a girl's name of Norwegian origin.
Though modern parents seeking to honor an ancestor named Thelma might opt for the airier Thea instead, Thelma is starting to make its way back onto adventurous vintage name lovers' radars. It is currently experiencing a modest revival in France, where it now ranks around the #300 mark.
The meaning of Thelma is unknown, although it is sometimes claimed to be derived from the Greek thelema "will". It was extremely rare as a given name until British writer Marie Corelli used it for the Norwegian heroine of her eponymous novel in 1893.
In the English-speaking world, Thelma is associated with Geena Davis' character in the iconic female-centred crime movie Thelma and Louise (1991). It was also the birth name of first lady Pat Nixon.
- Thelma Rank in US Top 1000
- Names Similar to Thelma
- Lists Containing the name Thelma
- Famous People Named Thelma
- The name Thelma in Pop Culture
- The name Thelma in Nameberry Blog Posts
- The name Thelma in Nameberry Forums
# 976 in the US
Thelma Rank in US Top 1000
Popularity of the name Thelma
- 1666Nameberry2025
20 Names Similar to Thelma
These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Thelma.
Lists containing the name Thelma
- Old-Fashioned Girl Names
- European Names for Girls and Boys
- Top 1910s Baby Names
- Top 1900s Baby Names
- Top 1920s Baby Names
- Turtle Names
- Old People Names
- Chicken Names
- Old-Fashioned Names
- Ugly Names for Pets
- Hipster Names for Boys and Girls
- Funny Dog Names
- Unique Dog Names
- Dog Names
- Rustic Aristocrat Names
- Names Created by Authors
- Girls Names That Start With T
Famous People Named Thelma
- Thelma Catherine "Pat" NixonFirst Lady of the U.S.
- Thelma RitterAmerican actress
- Thelma Colbert SchoonmakerAmerican film editor
- Thelma Alice ToddAmerican '30s actress
- Thelma Ellen WoodAmerican sculptor
- Thelma HoustonAmerican singer
- Thelma "Butterfly" McQueenAmerican actress
The name Thelma in Pop Culture
- Thelma Yvonne Dickinsoncharacter in "Thelma and Louise"
- Thelma Batescharacter on "Hex"
- Thelma Bloggscharacter in "What a Misfortune" & "Draff"
- Thelma Mae Harpercharacter on "Mama's Family"
- Thelma "Tib" Mullercharacter in "Betsy,Tacy" series
- Thelma "Trixie" Nortoncharacter on "The Honeymooners"
- Thelma Evanscharacter on TV's "Good Times"
- Thelma Loucharacter on "Andy Griffith" series
- Thelmacharacter in "The Last Time I Saw Mother" by Arlene J. Chai, adoptive mother of main character Caridad
The name Thelma in Nameberry Blog Posts
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