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Alma

HeartAHL-mah
Latin
"nurturing, soul"

Alma Origin and Meaning

The name Alma is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning "nurturing, soul".

Alma is a somewhat solemn, soulful name that had a burst of popularity a century ago, then faded into the flowered wallpaper, and is now finding its footing once more.

In addition to being familiar via the term alma mater, Alma has many cultural ties, such as Alma Mahler, a 19th Century composer and musician and the character Alma Del Mar played by Michelle Williams in the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain. Other characters named Alma have appeared in Deadwood, The Hunger Games, American Horror Story, and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. In the Tennessee Williams play Summer and Smoke, a character named Alma explains that her name is "Spanish for soul."

The name became fashionable in England following the Battle of Alma--named for the Russian river—during the Crimean War.

Alma is one of those surprising names that's always been on the Top 1000, but after sinking to its lowest point ever in 2011, Alma is making a comeback. Like Ella and Ada, Alma is a name appreciated for its simplicity, integrity, and—yes—soul.

# 482 in the US

Alma Rank in US Top 1000

# 216 on Nameberry

Alma Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Alma Popularity

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Famous People Named Alma

  • Alma ThomasAmerican painter
  • Alma Leonore BeltranMexican actress
  • Alma Angela CoganEnglish pop singer
  • Alma GuillermoprietoMexican journalist
  • Alma RedlingerRomanian painter & illustrator
  • Alma Lucy RevilleLady Hitchcock, English director and screenwriter; wife of director Alfred Hitchcock
  • Alma Genevieve RubensAmerican silent film actress
  • Alma Maria MahlerAustrian socialite; wife of composer Gustav Mahler, architect Walter Gropius, and novelist Franz Werfel
  • Alma RoséAustrian violinist and conductor of the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz
  • Alma Socorro Martínez (Torres)Mexican footballer
  • Alma Templeton MoodieAustralian violinist
  • (Alma) Andrea MezaMiss World Mexico 2017
  • Alma Jiménez Porter (b. 2011)daughter of footballer Iker Jimenez
  • Alma Sanz (b. 2014)daughter of singer Alejandro Sanz
  • Alma Versano (b. 2011)daughter of actress Gal Gadot and Yaron Versano
  • Alma Mascheranodaughter of Argentine footballer Javier Mascherano
  • Alma Bay Dano (b. 2018)daughter of actor/writers Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano

Alma in Pop Culture

  • Alma Singercharacter in The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
  • Alma Winemillermain character in Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke
  • Alma Walkercharacter on FX's American Horror Story: Asylum
  • Alma Coincharacter in The Hunger Games trilogy
  • Alma Draycharacter in film Now You See Me
  • Alma Garretcharacter on TV's Deadwood
  • Alma LeFay Peregrinecharacter in the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series by Ransom Riggs
  • Alma Wadecharacter in the F.E.A.R. video game series
  • Alma Parkercharacter in 1966 film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
  • Alma Halliwellcharacter on British soap Coronation Street
  • Alma Hodgecharacter on TV's Desperate Housewives
  • Almaa Greater Fiend from the video game Ninja Gaiden
  • Alma Montemayormain character in Mexican telenovela Porque el amor manda
  • Alma Beoulvecharacter in video game Final Fantasy Tactics
  • Alma Jinnaicharacter in anime Jewelpet Tinkle
  • Alma Puddencharacter in the St Clare book series by Enid Blyton
  • Almacharacter in animated series Doc McStuffins
  • Alma novel by Oswald de Andrade
  • Book of Almasection of the Book of Mormon
  • Almaa character in The Handmaid's Tale TV series