Velma
American coinage of the late 1800s, probably reshaped from Wilhelmina; now inseparable from Scooby-Doo.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Velma appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in 14 different years between 1903 and 1917. Its biggest year was 1921, when 2,606 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 108 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1912, at No. 88. All told, 87,202 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Explore Velma interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 358 | No. 274 |
| 1890s | 2,099 | No. 139 |
| 1900s | 6,558 | No. 90 |
| 1910s | 18,631 | No. 88 |
| 1920s | 22,875 | No. 105 |
| 1930s | 14,250 | No. 127 |
| 1940s | 9,272 | No. 188 |
| 1950s | 6,861 | No. 267 |
| 1960s | 3,696 | No. 406 |
| 1970s | 1,134 | No. 781 |
| 1980s | 512 | No. 1455 |
| 1990s | 191 | No. 2886 |
| 2000s | 97 | No. 7444 |
| 2010s | 107 | No. 5785 |
| 2020s | 111 | No. 5172 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.