UK girl's name
Ilma
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "knowledge" or "scientific learning".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ilma is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ilma popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2771, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 9 births.
This profile covers 83 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2003 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 83 living people in the UK are called Ilma. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ilma ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 9 girls were registered as Ilma.
- • About 83 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ilma as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2771
2024
Births in 2024
9
Latest year
Peak year
2023
9 births
Estimated living
83
2026
Meaning
What does Ilma mean?
The name Ilma is believed to have its origins in the Finnish language. It is a derivative of the Finnish word "ilma," which means "air" or "atmosphere." The name has been in use in Finland and other Scandinavian countries for centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ilma can be found in Finnish folklore and mythology. In the Kalevala, the national epic of Finland, Ilma is mentioned as the daughter of the god of the air, Ilmarinen. This suggests that the name may have been used as a personal name in Finland as early as the 16th century, when the Kalevala was first compiled.
During the Middle Ages, the name Ilma gained popularity among the nobility and upper classes in Finland and Sweden. One notable figure from this period was Ilma Bengtsdotter, a Swedish noblewoman who lived in the 14th century. She was the wife of Bo Jonsson Grip, a powerful Swedish nobleman and military commander.
In the 19th century, the name Ilma became more widely used among the general population in Finland. One prominent Ilma from this time was Ilma Kurika, a Finnish painter and artist born in 1875. She was known for her landscape paintings and was a member of the Finnish Artists' Association.
Another notable figure with the name Ilma was Ilma Aronen-Pohjanoksa, a Finnish writer and poet who lived from 1899 to 1989. She was a member of the Tulenkantajat (Torch Bearers) literary movement and published several collections of poetry and short stories.
In the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the name Ilma was Ilma Ida Aronen, a Finnish actress and singer born in 1904. She appeared in numerous Finnish films and stage productions throughout her career, which spanned several decades.
While the name Ilma has its roots in Finnish culture and language, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in Scandinavian countries and communities with Finnish heritage. However, its origins and historical significance can be traced back to the Finnish language and folklore, where it has held a special place for centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ilma over time
The chart below shows babies named Ilma registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ilma, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ilma by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ilma was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3062 | 31 | 4 |
| 2010s | #4457 | 39 | 8 |
| 2000s | #4104 | 13 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Ilma
- Isabella 58,822
- Isla 51,854
- Isabelle 46,163
- Imogen 33,758
- Ivy 23,306
- Isabel 20,895
- Isobel 19,706
- Iris 10,353
- India 8,371
- Iqra 4,452
- Indie 3,873
- Iona 3,682
FAQ
Ilma: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ilma in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ilma was ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.
When was Ilma most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 9 babies registered as Ilma in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ilma?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "knowledge" or "scientific learning".
How many people are called Ilma in the UK?
A total of 83 babies have been registered as Ilma across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.