How old is someone named Thelma?
The average Thelma is 74 years old.
Half of all living Thelmas are between 66 and 85.
When was Thelma popular?
Thelma peaked in 1921 and has been given less and less ever since. Only 29 babies got the name in 2025.
Popular names of 1921 · The most popular names of the 1920s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 18,344 | 0 |
| 1910s | 57,284 | under 100 |
| 1920s | 69,101 | 1,100 |
| 1930s | 36,530 | 7,100 |
| 1940s | 20,333 | 11,000 |
| 1950s | 11,812 | 9,100 |
| 1960s | 5,923 | 5,200 |
| 1970s | 2,158 | 2,000 |
| 1980s | 1,170 | 1,100 |
| 1990s | 687 | 670 |
| 2000s | 379 | 380 |
| 2010s | 239 | 240 |
| 2020s | 170 | 170 |
How many Thelmas are still alive?
About 38,000 Thelmas are alive in the US today. That's 17% of the roughly 230,000 babies named Thelma since 1880.
Most Thelmas ever born have died: the name was most popular in 1921, long enough ago that many of those babies are gone.
What generation is the name Thelma?
About two in five living Thelmas are Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964.
Is Thelma an old name?
Yes. Thelma is older than 99 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Is Thelma a boy or girl name?
Almost entirely girls: 99.7% of living Thelmas are women.
Names the same age as Thelma
NAME TWIN
Thelma's name twin is Bessie. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Bessie's age curve is the closest match to Thelma's: 96% alike.
Think you can guess a Jessica's age?
Ten names, one slider each. Share your score.
Questions about the name Thelma
How old is the average Thelma?
The average Thelma in the US is 74 years old. The median is 77, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Thelma?
About 38,000 Thelmas are alive in the US today, out of roughly 230,000 babies given the name since 1880.
When was the name Thelma most popular?
In 1921, when about 7,900 baby girls were named Thelma.
Is Thelma a Boomer name?
Partly. Baby Boomers are the largest group, about 44% of living Thelmas, but the name spans several generations.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this