Updated November 2023
Across 2 pages
of 2
German
"godly helmet"
Selma has recently been given a more youthful spin via actresses Selma Blair and Salma Hayek. But while Selma has not yet become popular again in the US, it is widely used in both Sweden and Norway.…
Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German and Dutch
"resolute protection"
Historically a diminutive of Wilhelmina, Elma's parent name and soundalike sisters are slowly stirring back to life as the trend for vintage baby names continues. With Alma on the rise in the US,…
"will helmet"
Velma likely originated as a phonetic spelling of the German name Wilma, itself derived from Wilhelmina. Velma Dinkley is a smart, if nerdy, character in Scooby Doo .
German, diminutive of Anselma
"God helmet"
Familiar in the US, Brazil, and Latvia in the early 20th century, Zelma has been off the radar for some time. While the Selma-Thelma-Velma connection might date it, with Zelda and Alma sparking…
Short form of Jalmari, Finnish
"helmet protector"
Sleek modern short form of a classic Scandinavian name .
Finnish variation of Asketill, Norse
"helmet of God"
Cool Finnish name ripe for import.
Old Danish and Old Swedish
"Thor's helmet"
Old Swedish
"stone helmet"
French
Medieval French diminutive of Gui (Guy), ultimately from William.
Cornish
Cornish form of William
English and French surname from German
"bright helmet"
Associated with comedian Stephen Colbert, who uses the French pronunciation of his name as a bit (the rest of his family of origin use the English pronunciation).
Swedish variation of Ketil, Norwegian
"kettle; cauldron; helmet"
A grandfather name in Norway, where it was a Top 5 name through the 1940s and '50s.
Irish, English
"fair hilltop, head fort, helmet"
This cool surname and place name has multiple origins. As an Irish place name, it may derive from the Gaelic for "fair hilltop" or "head fort', while as a surname it comes from the Norse name Ketill,…
Finnish form of Old Norse Hjalmar
Distinctive-sounding Scandinavian name . with deep roots. Short form is the attractive Jari.
German and Dutch
"helmet army"
Helmer is best-known these days as a product line at Ikea, but if you're looking for an Old School Germanic name and want to move beyond Herman and Wilmer, Helmer may be your man.
Scottish
"god's helmet"
Scottish form of Asketill or Askell
Variation of Ketil, Norwegian
Firmly in Dad name territory in Norway, where it peaked in the early 1970s.
"noble helmet"
Derived from Germanic elements adal "noble" and helm "helmet", this Old French name was born by a 10th century saint. Alléaume and Aliaume are variant spellings.
Scandinavian
Old Norse name that lives on more appealingly in modern times as Jalmari, short form Jari. This form remains popular in Sweden, however.
Manx
"helmet of god"
Manx variant of the Norse name Asketill.