Fun Facts About the Name Erma
- More than 55 thousand babies named Erma: U.S. records list 55,185 babies given the name Erma from 1880 through 2025. Even 238 boys received the name Erma - about 1 boy for every 231 girls.
What Does the Name Erma Mean?
Erma is a feminine given name used in English. It is generally treated as a variant of Irma, a German name whose meaning is "whole" or "universal." The source is the Old High German element irmin (also spelled ermen-). This element appears in compound Germanic names such as Irmgard and Ermengarde, where it carries the sense of "whole" or "universal." Erma does not have a separate ancient etymology; its meaning comes from the same root as Irma.
Some references connect Erma with Emma, an English name from the same Germanic root. Emma and Irma are related in origin, and Erma lies between them in form, so the two explanations are sometimes mixed. The usual classification, however, is that Erma is a spelling variant of Irma with the same meaning. The exact line of development from Irma to Erma is not documented in detail.
Erma Name History & Origins
The source element irmin was used in Old High German personal names, often as the first part of a compound. Names such as Irmgard and Ermengarde belonged to this group. Irma began as a short form of such compound names, keeping the initial Irm- and dropping the second element. In German-speaking Europe, Irma became established as an independent feminine name, and from there it spread to other languages, including English, Italian, Spanish, and the Scandinavian languages.
Erma is an English-language spelling of the same name. The change from I- to E- may reflect the influence of names such as Emma or a simple spelling variation. In the 20th century, the name was borne by the American humorist Erma Bombeck (1927 - 1996) and the American singer Erma Franklin (1938 - 2002).
How Popular is the Name Erma?
Erma recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1920. Its best rank was #138 in 1911.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,292 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 2024 | #7,685 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #5,606 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 2022 | #6,053 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2021 | #5,454 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 2020 | #5,927 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2019 | #5,853 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2018 | #8,781 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #5,904 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2016 | #8,545 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #5,344 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2014 | #6,055 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #7,154 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #6,417 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2011 | #8,784 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #7,636 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2009 | #9,575 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #5,482 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2007 | #5,420 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2006 | #5,284 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2005 | #6,085 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2004 | #4,980 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2003 | #4,987 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2002 | #4,955 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2001 | #6,710 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2000 | #5,043 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1999 | #6,608 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1998 | #5,437 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1997 | #4,711 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1996 | #4,645 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1995 | #5,081 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1994 | #4,282 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1993 | #3,366 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1992 | #4,282 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1991 | #3,562 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1990 | #3,831 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1989 | #3,426 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1988 | #3,246 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1987 | #2,623 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 1986 | #2,481 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 1985 | #2,611 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1984 | #2,636 | 35 | 0.0021% |
| 1983 | #2,488 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1982 | #2,337 | 42 | 0.0025% |
| 1981 | #2,314 | 43 | 0.0026% |
| 1980 | #1,986 | 53 | 0.0032% |
| 1979 | #2,223 | 44 | 0.0027% |
| 1978 | #1,996 | 48 | 0.0031% |
| 1977 | #1,978 | 49 | 0.0032% |
| 1976 | #1,721 | 56 | 0.0038% |
| 1975 | #1,488 | 69 | 0.0047% |
| 1974 | #1,602 | 59 | 0.0040% |
| 1973 | #1,455 | 66 | 0.0045% |
| 1972 | #1,227 | 86 | 0.0057% |
| 1971 | #1,353 | 79 | 0.0047% |
| 1970 | #1,296 | 83 | 0.0047% |
| 1969 | #1,060 | 107 | 0.0063% |
| 1968 | #958 | 116 | 0.0071% |
| 1967 | #1,076 | 94 | 0.0057% |
| 1966 | #824 | 146 | 0.0086% |
| 1965 | #807 | 151 | 0.0086% |
| 1964 | #696 | 220 | 0.0116% |
| 1963 | #758 | 184 | 0.0095% |
| 1962 | #702 | 216 | 0.0110% |
| 1961 | #658 | 243 | 0.0120% |
| 1960 | #650 | 242 | 0.0120% |
| 1959 | #607 | 269 | 0.0133% |
| 1958 | #562 | 303 | 0.0151% |
| 1957 | #502 | 358 | 0.0175% |
| 1956 | #528 | 308 | 0.0153% |
| 1955 | #481 | 356 | 0.0182% |
| 1954 | #430 | 412 | 0.0212% |
| 1953 | #424 | 419 | 0.0223% |
| 1952 | #385 | 457 | 0.0246% |
| 1951 | #364 | 490 | 0.0272% |
| 1950 | #331 | 544 | 0.0318% |
| 1949 | #333 | 546 | 0.0319% |
| 1948 | #309 | 616 | 0.0363% |
| 1947 | #313 | 608 | 0.0343% |
| 1946 | #297 | 603 | 0.0384% |
| 1945 | #283 | 601 | 0.0460% |
| 1944 | #273 | 640 | 0.0482% |
| 1943 | #258 | 719 | 0.0515% |
| 1942 | #249 | 754 | 0.0558% |
| 1941 | #237 | 727 | 0.0602% |
| 1940 | #228 | 741 | 0.0648% |
| 1939 | #212 | 792 | 0.0722% |
| 1938 | #217 | 786 | 0.0712% |
| 1937 | #203 | 833 | 0.0783% |
| 1936 | #201 | 842 | 0.0809% |
| 1935 | #189 | 930 | 0.0887% |
| 1934 | #180 | 1,008 | 0.0965% |
| 1933 | #176 | 985 | 0.0977% |
| 1932 | #166 | 1,167 | 0.1094% |
| 1931 | #163 | 1,151 | 0.1081% |
| 1930 | #169 | 1,207 | 0.1072% |
| 1929 | #166 | 1,246 | 0.1116% |
| 1928 | #157 | 1,382 | 0.1198% |
| 1927 | #161 | 1,379 | 0.1156% |
| 1926 | #157 | 1,485 | 0.1253% |
| 1925 | #162 | 1,490 | 0.1224% |
| 1924 | #168 | 1,424 | 0.1140% |
| 1923 | #168 | 1,389 | 0.1151% |
| 1922 | #164 | 1,411 | 0.1175% |
| 1921 | #158 | 1,525 | 0.1237% |
| 1920 | #152 | 1,529 | 0.1276% |
| 1919 | #147 | 1,497 | 0.1325% |
| 1918 | #153 | 1,463 | 0.1264% |
| 1917 | #148 | 1,436 | 0.1328% |
| 1916 | #145 | 1,378 | 0.1320% |
| 1915 | #139 | 1,375 | 0.1398% |
| 1914 | #147 | 993 | 0.1304% |
| 1913 | #140 | 865 | 0.1385% |
| 1912 | #141 | 774 | 0.1387% |
| 1911 | #138 | 595 | 0.1422% |
| 1910 | #140 | 577 | 0.1455% |
| 1909 | #145 | 487 | 0.1403% |
| 1908 | #144 | 477 | 0.1427% |
| 1907 | #150 | 439 | 0.1378% |
| 1906 | #139 | 444 | 0.1504% |
| 1905 | #164 | 330 | 0.1132% |
| 1904 | #157 | 345 | 0.1253% |
| 1903 | #165 | 302 | 0.1153% |
| 1902 | #166 | 288 | 0.1091% |
| 1901 | #183 | 236 | 0.0986% |
| 1900 | #188 | 275 | 0.0917% |
| 1899 | #173 | 247 | 0.1060% |
| 1898 | #188 | 240 | 0.0927% |
| 1897 | #185 | 213 | 0.0909% |
| 1896 | #199 | 192 | 0.0807% |
| 1895 | #191 | 203 | 0.0869% |
| 1894 | #185 | 211 | 0.0947% |
| 1893 | #203 | 155 | 0.0728% |
| 1892 | #198 | 160 | 0.0754% |
| 1891 | #192 | 139 | 0.0749% |
| 1890 | #205 | 135 | 0.0709% |
| 1889 | #237 | 96 | 0.0538% |
| 1888 | #253 | 83 | 0.0465% |
| 1887 | #269 | 62 | 0.0425% |
| 1886 | #261 | 64 | 0.0443% |
| 1885 | #267 | 55 | 0.0413% |
| 1884 | #270 | 53 | 0.0411% |
| 1883 | #288 | 38 | 0.0338% |
| 1882 | #321 | 31 | 0.0287% |
| 1881 | #298 | 28 | 0.0305% |
| 1880 | #284 | 30 | 0.0330% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | #3,875 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #3,851 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #3,422 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1944 | #2,519 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1942 | #3,025 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1939 | #2,330 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1938 | #3,683 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1936 | #3,274 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1935 | #2,066 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1934 | #3,076 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1933 | #2,812 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #2,229 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1931 | #3,949 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #2,495 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1928 | #4,343 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1927 | #3,564 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #2,999 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #3,091 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1923 | #3,955 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #3,336 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #2,686 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1920 | #2,503 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1919 | #4,369 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #2,945 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1916 | #3,000 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1915 | #2,696 | 9 | 0.0011% |
| 1914 | #3,017 | 6 | 0.0009% |
| 1913 | #2,341 | 7 | 0.0014% |
| 1912 | #2,110 | 7 | 0.0016% |
| 1911 | #1,825 | 5 | 0.0022% |
| 1910 | #1,467 | 6 | 0.0031% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Erma Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are fine when in harmony but changeable when in discord, because many of your best qualities are then reversed. You are entertaining but may be impulsive. Freedom is a necessity, and you find it difficult to settle down. Your versatility results in many changes, and often brings travel. Your fine intellect is capable of high honors if applied seriously. You are capable of inspired thinking applied to material things. You can be restless, changeable, and very sexy. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Erma's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Erma's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.