Female given name
Alma |
| Pronunciation | /'ælmə/ |
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| Gender | Female |
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| Language(s) | Latin |
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| Meaning | kind, nourishing |
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| Variant form(s) | Allma, Almah |
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| Short form(s) | aem |
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| See also | mea |
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Alma ( AHL-mə)[1] or (according to Jones 1997) /'ælmə/) is an English feminine given name, but has historically been used in the masculine form as well, sometimes in the form Almo.[2] The origin of the name is debated; it may have been derived from "alma mater"[3] ("benevolent mother", a title used for the Virgin Mary, and in antiquity, for several goddesses).
It gained popularity after the Battle of Alma in the 19th century and appeared as a fashionable name for girls and a popular place name,[4] but it has decreased in appearance in the 20th and 21st centuries. The name Alma also has several meanings in a variety of languages, and is generally translated to mean that the child "feeds one's soul" or "lifts the spirit".[5]
- ^ Norman, p. 119.
- ^ Lang, p. 132.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
oboyle was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
call was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
- ^ Browder, p. 57.
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