Elma is a primarily feminine given name of various origins.

Usage

As an English name, it is considered a feminine version of the name

Elmer Elmer is a name of Germanic British origin. The given name originated as a surname, a medieval variant of the given name Aylmer, derived from Old English ''æþel'' (noble) and ''mær'' (famous). It was adopted as a given name in the United State ...

, or a combination of the names

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

and

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...

, a diminutive form of Wilhelmina and various names ending in ''-elma'', or a variant of

Alma Alma or ALMA may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film * ''Alma'', an upcoming film by Sally Potter * ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922 * ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017 * ''Alma'' ( ...

, Elmira, or Helma. In the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

, Elma is popular among

Bosniaks The Bosniaks (, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who sha ...

in the former Yugoslav nations. The name has been among the 100 most popular names for girls born in

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

between 2009 and 2024. In this region, the male equivalent is

Elmin Elmin is a male given name. In the Balkans, Elmin is popular among Bosniaks in the former Yugoslav nations.https://actacroatica.com/hr/name/Elmin/ The name is a modification to the name Emin, and it holds the same meaning of "truthful." The fem ...

. In

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

, 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.

Women

* Elma Bellini (1954–2018), American judge * Elma Bulla (1913–1980), Hungarian stage and film actress * Wilhelmina "Elma" Campbell (1901–1983), Scottish nationalist activist * Elma Tryphosa Dangerfield (1907–2006), British journalist, writer, campaigner and Liberal Party politician *

Elma Danielsson Elma Danielsson née Sundquist (1 March 1865, Falun - 8 February 1936, Lomma), was a Swedish journalist and politician (Social Democrat). She was a temporary editor of the social democratic paper '' Arbetet'' from 1887 onward, and has been referr ...

(1865–1936), Swedish journalist and politician *

Elma Davis Elma Davis (1 April 1968 – 14 April 2019) was a South African international lawn bowler. Bowls career In 2016, Davis won a bronze medal with Susan Nel and Sylvia Burns in the triples at the 2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Christch ...

(1968–2019), South African international lawn bowler * Elma de Vries (born 1983), Dutch marathon speed skater and inline speed skater * Elma Dienda (born 1964), South African-born Namibian politician and teacher * Elma Salinas Ender (born 1953), American attorney and judge *

Elma Francois Elma Francois (14 October 1897 – 17 April 1944) was an Africentric Socialist political activist who, on 14 October 1987, was declared as a " national heroine of Trinidad and Tobago".Gilkes, Corey"Elma Francois 1897–1944" TriniView.com, 3 N ...

(1897–1944), Trinidadian and Tobagonian Afrocentric Socialist political activist * Elma Gada Kris, Australian dancer and choreographer of Aboriginal Australian descent *

Elma González Elma L. González (born June 6, 1942) is a Mexican-born American plant cell biologist. She is Professor Emerita of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1974, she was appointed professor of cell and mo ...

(born 1942), Mexican-born American plant cell biologist *

Elma Gove Elma Mary Gove (1832–1921) was an American painter. Biography Born in Weare, New Hampshire, Gove was the daughter of Hiram and Mary Sargent Gove; her father was a hatmaker who later became a self-trained physician, and her mother was an ear ...

(1832–1921), American painter *

Elma Halilcevic Elma Halilcevic (born 18 June 2000) is a Danish handball player of Bosnian descent. She currently plays for Odense Håndbold and the Danish national team. She started her career at Team Esbjerg, and have previously played for Nykøbing Falst ...

(born 2000), Danish handball player of Bosnian descent * Elizabeth "Elma" Innes (1921–2015), Scottish paediatric haematologist *

Elma Karlowa Elma Karlowa (12 March 1932 – 31 December 1994) was a Yugoslav film and television actress.Fritsche p.255 Selected filmography * ''Once I Will Return'' (1953) * ''A Child of the Community'' (1953) * '' Guitars of Love'' (1954) * ''Cabaret'' (1 ...

(1932–1994), Yugoslav film and television actress *

Elma Lewis Elma Ina Lewis (September 15, 1921 – January 1, 2004) was an American arts educator and the founder of The Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts and the National Center of Afro-American Artists. In 1981 she was one of the first recipients of t ...

(1921–2004), American arts educator and the founder of the National Center of Afro-American Artists and The Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts *

Elma Maua Elma Ngatokoa Maua (12 November 1948 – 28 April 2010) was a Cook Islands-born New Zealand journalist and editor. Maua was one of New Zealand's first Pasifika journalists. Maua was born in Rarotonga, Cook Islands in 1948, the youngest of six ch ...

(1948–2010), Cook Islands-born New Zealand journalist and editor * Elma Mbadiwe, Nigerian actress *

Elma Miller Elma Miller (born August 6, 1954) is a Canadian musician, composer, writer and educator. Biography Education Miller was born in 1954 in Toronto, Ontario. In 1977, she received a BMus and MMus from the University of Toronto. During that time, ...

(born 1954), Canadian musician, composer, writer and educator *

Elma Mitchell Elma Mitchell (November 19, 1919 – November 23, 2000) was a Scottish-born poet and translator based in Somerset, who published several well-received books of poetry in the 1970s and 1980s. Early life and education Mitchell was born in Airdrie ...

(1919–2000), Scottish poet *

Elma Muros Elma Muros-Posadas (born January 14, 1967, in Magdiwang, Romblon) also known as the "Long Jump Queen" of the Philippines and a heptathlon champion, is a former member of the Philippine Track and Field National Team and now a legend in Philippine ...

(born 1967), Filipina former track and field athlete * Elma Napier (née Gordon-Cumming; 1892–1973), Scottish-born writer and politician who spent most of her life in Dominica * Elma N'For (born 1995), Cameroonian footballer * Elma Parsamyan (born 1929), Soviet and Armenian astrophysicist and astronomer *

Elma Postma Elma Postma (born 6 September 1978) is a South African actress and presenter. She is best known for her acting roles on ''7de Laan'', ''Binnelanders'' and ''Isidingo''. As a presenter, she's most recognised for presenting the first few seasons ...

(born 1978), South African actress and presenter * Elma Rabe, South African politician * Elma Roach (1897–1942), Australian modernist painter and woodworker * Elma Saiz (born 1975), Spanish politician * Elma Sandford-Morgan (1890–1983), Australian physician who practised medicine in India and Iraq during the 1920s * Elma Shemsovikj (born 1999), Macedonian footballer * Elma Soiron (1918–2016), English actress *

Elma Steck Elma Steck Weiss (May 3, 1923 – July 22, 2014) was a fourth outfielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 120 lb., Elma batted left-handed and threw right-handed. She was born in Columbus, Ohio, ...

(1923–2014), American women's baseball player *

Elma Ström Elma Charlotta Ström (3 April 1822 – 14 July 1889) was a Swedish opera singer. Life Elma Ström was born in Bro in Uppland, the daughter of farmers, and was raised in the home of a relative, the parish vicar Ekström on Mörkö. Ekström soci ...

(1822–1889), Swedish opera singer * Elma Stuckey (1907–1988), American poet and school teacher of African-American descent *

Elma van Haren Elma van Haren (born 29 August 1954) is a Dutch poet. Career In 1988, she made her debut as poet with ''Reis naar het welkom geheten''. She won the very first C. Buddingh'-prijs for this collection of poems. She went on to publish various po ...

(born 1954), Dutch poet * Elma Mary Williams (1913–1971), British writer * Elma Yerburgh (née Thwaites; 1864–1946), English businesswoman and public benefactor

Men

* Elma G. Albert (1866–1942), American judge

Notes

{{reflist Feminine given names