Norma

English or Latin

"from the north; or, the pattern"

Norma Origin and Meaning

The name Norma is a girl's name of English origin meaning "from the north; or, the pattern".

Invented for Bellini's opera, Norma had some star quality in the silent-screen and Marilyn Monroe days, but at this point it's a graying grandma in baby name limbo.

Norma Rank in US Top 1000

# 925 in the US

Popularity of the name Norma

• 997 Nameberry 2025
• 966 Unique 2021

20 Names Similar to Norma

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Norma.

• Bertha
• Paulette
• Roberta
• Shirley
• Gail
• Meg
• Georgette
• Bernice
• Wanda
• Pauline
• Connie
• Olga
• Suzette
• Fran
• Midge
• Phyllis
• Wilma
• Alberta
• Dora
• Trudy

Famous People Named Norma

• Norma Jeane Mortenson/Baker birth name of American pop culture icon Marilyn Monroe
• Norma Talmadge American actress of the silent era
• (Edith) Norma Shearer American actress
• Norma Descygne Smallwood Miss America 1926
• Norma Deloris Egstrom birth name of Peggy Lee, American singer
• Norma Fox Mazer American children's novelist
• Norma Klein American children's novelist
• Norma Aleandro (Robledo) Argentine actress
• Norma Crane American actress
• Norma MacMillan Canadian voice actress
• Norma Christina Elizabeth Major Lady Major, wife of British Prime Minister John Major
• Norma Beatriz Nolan Miss Argentina and Miss Universe 1926
• Norma Leah McCorvey aka Jane Roe plaintiff in the U.S. Roe v. Wade court case
• Norma Cole American poet
• Norma Teagarden American jazz pianist
• Norma Ann Winstone English jazz singer
• Norma Christine Waterson English folk singer of The Watersons

The name Norma in Pop Culture

• "Norma Rae " movie starring Sally Field as Norma Rae Webster
• Norma Arnold mother on TV's "The Wonder Years"
• Norma Bates main character on TV's "Bates Motel" and movie "Psycho"
• Norma Bates character on American soap "Passions"
• Norma Desmond character in movie "Sunset Boulevard"
• Norma Cenva character in the "Dune" series
• Norma Romano character on Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black"
• Norma minor character from video game "Final Fantasy Mystic Quest"
• Norma character in book/movie "Carrie"
• Grammy Norma character in movie "The Lorax"
• Norma DePlume character in video game "Ace Attorney"
• Norma constellation of the southern sky
• "Norma " opera by Vincenzo Bellini and its main character
• "Norma " play by Henrik Ibsen and its main character
• "Norma " novel by Vladimir Sorokin