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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Norma

Norma

♀ Girl

Pronounced NAWR-muh /ˈnΙ”ΙΉ.mΙ™/Medium

Meaning: RuleMedium

In 30 seconds: Norma is an English name meaning 'rule,' tied to the Latin word for a standard or norm.
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Origin MediumEnglish, Italian, Spanish
MeaningRule
U.S. rank (2025)#2012 β†— Rising
2025 U.S. births95 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1931
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 278,068

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 193118802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Norma carries the meaning 'rule,' echoing the Latin norma for a carpenter's square or standard. It gained lasting fame through Bellini's opera Norma, which fixed it as a graceful, dramatic name. Argentine pageant winners Norma Cappagli (1939–2020), Miss World 1960, and Norma Nolan (1938–2025), Miss Universe 1962, both carried it.

Its two clean syllables give it a steady, classic feel that has aged into vintage charm. With no recorded variant spellings, Norma keeps a single, confident form.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Norma is 'rule', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Norma β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Norma Cappagli (1939–2020)
    Argentine model, Miss World 1960.
  • β˜…Norma Nolan (1938–2025)
    Argentine model, Miss Universe 1962.

If you like Norma…

Noraβ€” Shares the 'Nor-' opening and the same vintage, two-syllable feel.
Norahβ€” Echoes Norma's 'Nor-' sound with a softer ending.
Irmaβ€” shares the -ma ending
Jemmaβ€” shares Norma's English roots
Nellyβ€” lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Norma

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Norma mean?

Norma is usually explained as meaning 'rule' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Norma?

It's commonly said NAWR-muh /ˈnΙ”ΙΉ.mΙ™/.

Is Norma a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Norma is used as a girl name.

How popular is Norma?

In 2024, Norma ranked #2620 in the U.S. for girls, with 67 births recorded.

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