Behind the Name

My name is feminine and the usage is English.  The website “Behind the Name” states that the name Velma is probably a variant of Wilma based on the German pronunciation of that name.  This name has been in use since the 19th century.  Wilma is Feminine and the usage is German, Dutch and English.  It is pronounced VIL-mah (German, Dutch), WIL-mah (Dutch) and Wilma is short for Wilhelmina.  It was introduced to America by German settlers in the 19th century.  I was named Velma by a family friend of my parents.  Her name was Thelma and she would take care of me when I was a baby while my parents worked.  My mother wanted to name me Kimberly but her sister who was having a baby near the same due date, wanted that name for her baby, if it was a girl.  Not wanting to hurt her sister’s feelings and with the timing of my birth, my mother allowed a family friend to name me! I was born on May the first and my mother’s sister had her baby on May the second.  She had a little boy and named him Michael!  Unfortunately, my mother had already allowed my name to become Velma.

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