Alma

What does Alma mean?

Alma has several distinct connections. In its European history, it was probably inspired by Latin almus, “nourishing.” In Spanish, alma is also the word for “soul.” A separate Hebrew name, pronounced with stress on the last syllable, means “young woman.”

These traditions give a short, four-letter name an unusually wide reach. Alma is used in English, Spanish, German, Scandinavian languages, and several other European settings. Its open beginning and final a surround a gentle lm combination, making it quite different in sound from many longer names with similar endings.

Alma and the nineteenth century

Alma was in occasional use before the Crimean War, but it became more popular after the Battle of the Alma in 1854. The battle took place near the River Alma in Crimea, where an allied force defeated the Russian army blocking its advance toward Sevastopol.

That historical association helped bring an existing name to wider attention. The Latin explanation and the river connection both belong to Alma's European naming story, while the Spanish word supplies another familiar association for Spanish speakers.

Alma also appears as a masculine name in the Book of Mormon, borne by two prophets, a father and son. The meaning of that name is uncertain. Its presence in that religious tradition adds another use to a spelling more commonly associated with girls in American records.

Alma Thomas and color

American painter Alma Thomas gives the name a particularly rich artistic association. She spent thirty-eight years teaching art in Washington, D.C., public schools before her painting career gained national prominence after her retirement in 1960.

Her abstract work uses dense patterns of bright color, often inspired by nature. In 1972, she became the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Works including The Eclipse and Antares formed part of that exhibition.

Thomas's career connects Alma with both art education and the Washington Color School. Her paintings make color and repeated marks into expansive compositions, giving the name a visual association that extends well beyond its concise sound.

Alma Reville and film

Screenwriter and editor Alma Reville supplies a different creative connection. Before her marriage to Alfred Hitchcock in 1926, she had already established herself in British film as a cutter and scenario writer.

Reville later worked closely with Hitchcock across many parts of filmmaking, from adapting stories to reviewing footage. Her writing credits include Suspicion and The Paradine Case. Her career gives Alma a place in the craft of cinema as well as in painting, with much of her contribution made through collaborative work behind the scenes.

Pronunciation and form

English Alma is usually AL-muh, with the first vowel of apple. Spanish is closer to AHL-mah, also stressed on the first syllable. Hebrew Alma is ahl-MAH, shifting the emphasis to the end.

Alma is a full name rather than necessarily a shortening. Its two syllables need little reduction, and the same compact spelling works across many of its language traditions.

Alma in the United States

Alma's best American girls' rank was No. 51 in 1896. Its largest annual count was 3,650 in 1918. In 2025 it ranked No. 449, giving this nineteenth-century favorite a continuing American presence.

How popular is Alma?

In 2025, Alma ranked #449 among girls in the United States, with 689 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for girls in 1880; its largest annual count was 3,650 in 1918. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.