Velma
How to say it: VEL-mah · /ˈvelma/
Probably from German Wilhelmina meaning 'protection' - coined in US 1880s, famed via Scooby-Doo.
Velma was the 4,501st most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 21 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1910s, its births are up 2.4-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #4,187 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #4,501 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 21 |
| Share of births | 1 in 157,873 |
| Peak decade | 1910s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.4 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #4,187 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Velma peaked in the 1910s.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Velma is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, German.
Famous people named Velma
- Velma Dunn (1918–2007)Diver
- Velma Middleton (1917–1961)American singer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Velma Dinkley — the bespectacled 'brains' of Mystery Inc. in the Scooby-Doo franchise since 1969; the rare name is heard as the cartoon dete
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