Erma
Erma was the 5292nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 24 babies. Its best year was 1911, when it ranked 138th; the most babies were born in 1920 (1,529). Over the last ten years it has moved up 52 places. More babies were named Erma in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Irma) "whole, great" · German, Germanic
- Rank in 2025
- #5,292 girls, up 640 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 24girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19201,529 babies
- Total since 1880
- 55,187babies recorded
What does the name Erma mean?
Erma is a spelling of Irma, pronounced the same way, so it shares Irma's meaning and origin.
Irma is a German name of the 19th century, originally a short form of old Germanic names beginning with irmin- or ermen- (such as Irmgard). The element is usually glossed "whole, entire, great"; DMNES glosses the same element as "strong" in its entry for Emma, which is a cognate name. Irma spread into English use from German in the late 19th century. Wikipedia notes an unrelated Georgian name Irma.
*ermunaz (Proto-Germanic, “whole, entire, great”)irmin (Old Saxon, “strong, great (DMNES)”)
How sure is this? Probable. The Germanic element is glossed differently ("whole, great" in Wiktionary, "strong" in DMNES).
Related names: Emma, Irmgard, Erma.
See also: Germanic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Irma', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Emma', DMNES (Durham University)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Ermengard', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Irma (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Erma popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 238 since 1910.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,292 | 24 |
| 2020 | #5,932 | 20 |
| 2010 | #7,636 | 16 |
| 2000 | #5,043 | 23 |
| 1990 | #3,830 | 27 |
| 1980 | #1,986 | 53 |
| 1970 | #1,296 | 83 |
| 1960 | #654 | 241 |
| 1950 | #331 | 544 |
| 1940 | #228 | 741 |
| 1930 | #169 | 1,207 |
| 1920 | #152 | 1,529 |
| 1910 | #140 | 577 |
| 1900 | #188 | 275 |
| 1890 | #205 | 135 |
| 1880 | #284 | 30 |
How popular is Erma, counting every spelling?
Erma is a spelling of Irma, a name family that had 74 girls in 2025 across its spellings. Together these spellings went to 74 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irma | 50 | #3,181 | 316 |
| Erma | 24 | #5,292 | 104 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Erma?
24 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Erma (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Erma born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 347 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Erma.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Erma?
About 12,100 people born in the US named Erma are alive today, with a median age of 76; half are between 65 and 84. That makes Erma a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Erma by state
How common Erma was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 47 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Erma: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Erma, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Erma
What does Erma mean?
Erma is a spelling of Irma, which means “"whole, great"” (German, Germanic origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Erma?
Erma was the 5292nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 24 babies. Its best year was 1911, when it ranked 138th; the most babies were born in 1920 (1,529). Over the last ten years it has moved up 52 places. More babies were named Erma in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Erma a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Erma in the US.
Where is Erma most popular?
In 2021–2025, Erma was most common in Wisconsin (0.07 per 1,000 girls), followed by Pennsylvania and Indiana.