The story behind Erma
A female given name from the Germanic languages, of rare usage, variant of Irma.
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): ER1 M AH0
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Erma ranked #5292 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Erma
Emma
Brought to England by the Normans; short form of compound given names beginning with a Frankish prototheme Ermin- or Irmin- "entire", from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. From German…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ada
Short form of Germanic names beginning with adal (“noble”), such as Adelaide. Also Latinized form of Hebrew Adah. The programming language takes its name from Ada Lovelace. a…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ava
A female given name from Hebrew, a variant of Eva.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ida
Short form of obsolete names beginning with Germanic īd "work", used for both sexes in medieval England. It was revived in the 19th century, partly mistaken for a Greek name,…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Irma
From German Irma in the nineteenth century. Short form of Germanic names beginning with irm(en)-, erm(en) "whole, entire", from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Cognate with English…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Eda
From Old English ead (“riches”), also short for compound given names beginning thus, particularly Edith.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Erma
Bo
Either borrowed from modern Danish Bo or Swedish Bo, or a spelling variant of the male given name Beau. From Old Norse Búi (“dweller, long-time resident”), originally a…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Guy
From Old French Gui, from a Frankish form of Proto-West Germanic *Widō (compare Old Dutch Wido), a short form of names beginning with the element *widu (“wood”), from…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends Y
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Kai
Taken into regular use in the 1990s, with earlier popularity peaks in Scandinavia and Germany. The medieval Danish Kaj is possibly of Roman origin, Latinized as Caius, like the…
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends I
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Erma
Adel
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz. The female name is a rare variant of Adele. The surname is borrowed from German Adel. Variant of Adil, from Arabic عَادِل (ʕādil).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Anne
From French Anne (“Ann”), from Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna…
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Arne
For the given name, a short form of Old Norse compound names beginning with arn- (“eagle”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection