Thoughts on the name Alma?

[Emma2727]

We’ve been very stuck choosing a girls name we agree on and recently came across the name Alma. I haven’t really heard it before but I’m aware it’s an old fashioned name- which doesn’t bother me so much.
Is it a nice name? What are some similar names to this? Thanks!!

It's a no from me too.

ALMAAAAA!

Fred Flintstone

It's my Grans name, so makes me think of her, she's lovely but I'd find it strange on a young person, a bit like I can't imagine a young Mildred or Ethel I can imagine it coming back into fashion soon though, names do seem to go in cycles, I always thing it's people using great grandparents names.

My first thought would be the Battle of Alma (Crimean War), so I would avoid.

Alma what a lovely pretty name .

I'm not keen on it tbh. Sorry!

What about Elsa as a similar name? Very pretty and classy

Love Nora!

I like it. I wouldn’t worry too much about what other people think though. You’ll always get a split of likes and not likes whatever name you pick so whether you love it is the most important. I always think children grow into their names and you soon couldn’t imagine them being called anything else, regardless of whether the name is to your taste

I've never seen coronation street so I think it's pretty!

What about Almay, as an alternative? Or does that sound like a moisturiser?!

Almay 😂

I like it

@Dogonahottinroof

ALMAAAAA!

Fred Flintstone

Isn't it Wilma, not alma?

Sorry, but it's a no from me to Alma.

It is, however, better than the ugly name Alba which people are suggesting. Why on earth would you name your child after a cheap electronics brand?

Similar, but way nicer, are Ava and Ada. Both popular though.

Llama? 😲 Nobody would call her llama that is just mental. If anything Laura is much closer than Llama and I've never met a single Laura who has ever struggled with people callimg her Llama. Most bizarre comment I've ever read on MN 😂

I am in my thirties and literally hsd no jdea tjere even was an Alma on Coronation Street (and a quick Google shows she was killed off years ago so really doubt this will be an issue for a child of her generation).

I agree with a PP that Alma is about to increase in popularity - it has been used in several things recently, popular books and TV shows.

I think it is gorgeous - beautiful, gentle, soulful, with lovely meaning too.

I alsp love Alba (also about to get more popular, I bet) and I did ask about Alva when I was pregnant but everyone said it sounded too much like vulva.

Names with a similar feel to Alma are, in my opinion:

Sylvie
Nell
Tess
Tabitha
Iris

I live on Alma Road and I've always thought it would be a nice name for a child. I like it!

It's coming back into fashion, I've met a couple of baby ones. I don't get the appeal, but then I'm not one for old lady names. Only you can judge whether you think it's "a nice name".

It’s ok. Im not keen on the sound myself but would never raise an eyebrow at the name. I love Nora, even if i think Nora batty first. And alma barlow was a great character.

Alba is awful. Ignore those posters suggesting that monstrosity.

Don't go for Mater as a middle name

I know a 5 year old Alma her parents are Spanish.

It suits her well and I like it.

I think some of the backlash on this thread is really weird. I've met more EYFS children with more strange names than Alma and you just accept that that's their name and all kids fit their names IMHO. Kids won't bat an eyelid about bullying until high school/ upper primary possibly and they'll choose anything to bully of a person they think they can get away with. I think MN is having a weird wobbly on this thread.

So if you like it go for it.

Alva is a town in Clackmannanshire, I wouldn't use that! Alba means Scotland, would be an unusual choice. I only know a horse called Alma. Nora is pretty if you like old fashioned.

Got to agree with @DramaAlpaca that it's not to my taste but infinitely preferable to Alba which is a lower end electronics make!

My favourite teacher's name was Alma and she was awesome. Very kind and cheerful and fun. I think her full name was Alexandra Margaret and she got called Alma for short.

It doesn't have old lady vibes to me at all, and I'm 33 so the Coronation St reference means nothing to me. It just sounds like a Latin word to me, and there is a pub near us called the Alma too.

But short, two syllable girls' names ending in -a aren't my favourite - as a teacher, Alma/Alba/Alva/Ava/Eva/Isla/Elsa/Ella all start blending in to one for me. They feel a tad insubstantial. But that's just personal taste!

It reminds me of Alma Pudden who was a character in one of the Enid Blyton school series. She wasn't nice but EB also wasn't nice to her so it has negative connotations for me.
However objectively I can see it's a pretty name.
I actually really like Alba though. It reminds me of the daughter in The Time-Traveller's Wife rather than the electronics brand even though I had an Alba walkman in the 80s....

How about Alba? Much nicer.