thelma
/θˈɛlmə/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.02 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
name
A female given name originating as a coinage.
Example Sentences
Etymology
A literary invention, first appeared in the Swedish novel Kyrkoinvigningen i Hammarby (1840-1841) by Emilie Flygare-Carlén, translated into English as "The Magic Goblet" (1845). Similar names of ambiguous origin, Elma, Selma, Velma, appeared in the 19th century. By folk etymology explained as Ancient Greek θέλημα (thélēma, “will”). Notice also the Spanish and Portuguese Telma, a rare feminine form of Telmo, ultimately from Santelmo or Saint Elmo.