Irma

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HISTORY AND ORIGIN

The Germanic origins of the name Irma are tied to Teutonic mythology and the existence of Irmen as the Germanic god of war. There is a problem confirming this, however, as there is very little reliable information on the myths of the Germanic tribes. Much of what we know is from Christianized versions of the myths which have to some extent been filtered and Tacitus' first century work Germania, which because of the writer's tendency to promote virtue is also suspect. Although we are familiar with Woden and Thor, there is very little written about Irmen. It is hard to determine whether or not he is a god or more of a hero like Hercules. But he has been the inspiration to numerous German names and Irma appears to be the more common shortened version of the ancient name of Ermintrude. ^[1]

The name appears to have come with the Germanic tribes into Rome and been assimilated into the Latin culture. Its Latin adoption helps explain how the name is popular in both French and Spanish.

POPULARITY

Irma has undergone a decline in popularity since 1920 when it was ranked as the 149th most popular girl's name. The last time it appeared in the top 1000 most popular names was in 1995. At that time it was ranked 953. Erma, its most common variant, followed a similar popularity track until around 1940 when its usage started a rapid descent to 804 in 1970, before it fell off out of the top 1000 completely.^[1]

FACTS

• Irma la Douce is a Billy Wilder comedy that starred Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. This film, released in 1963, featured Lemmon as a French policeman who falls in love with a prostitute, Irma la Douce, played by MacLaine. Their performances lead to both being nominated for Golden Globes for best actor and actress. MacLain won her award and was also nominated for an Oscar, which she did not win.^[1]

• The Irma Hotel in Cody, Wyoming, built by William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Codyin 1902, was named for his daughter Irma Cody.^[1]

• Irma Lair, for those who do not follow the adventures of W.I.T.C.H in either the animated TV series or the comic it is based on, is one of five girls who are given magical powers and become the Guardians of the Veil. Irma is a thirteen year old girl who has been given powers over water.^[1]

FAMOUS PERSONS

• Erma Bombeck, an American humorist, wrote some 4,000 newspaper columns that were published in 900 newspapers and have been read by over 30 million readers since 1965. She also wrote 14 books like The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank and If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?. She died in 1996 after complications from a kidney transplant.^[1]

• Irma Thomas is a legendary rhythm and blues singer who has earned the title of Soul Queen of New Orleans. In 1960, she was on the Billboard R&B chart at the age of 19 with her first single, (You Can Have My Husband But) Don't Mess With My Man, which reached the chart's 22nd position. She went on to record hits like It's Raining, Break-a-way and Time is on My Side, which was later made famous by the Rolling Stones. In 2007, her album After The Rain received a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album and she was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.^[1]

• Irma Grese was one of three women who were executed for war crimes committed in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. At the age of 22, she was the youngest woman to be hung by the British judicial system in the twentieth century.^[1]

OTHER IRMA'S

Irma Smith, Irma Johnson, Irma Williams, Irma Jones, Irma Brown, Irma Davis, Irma Miller, Irma Wilson, Irma Moore, Irma Taylor, Irma Aboras, Irma Abowitz, Irma Abbott, Irma Aboytes, Irma Abreu, Irma Abella, Irma Abenes, Irma Abrago, Irma Acselrod, Irma Arar, Irma Aaron, Irma Abad, Irma Abadiotakis, Irma Abalo, Irma Abalos, Irma Abanto, Irma Abarca, Irma Abary, Irma Abascal, Irma Abbate, Irma Abbatepaolo, Irma Abbe, Irma Abbey, Irma Abbitt, Irma Abbs, Irma Abdallah, Irma Abdelkader, Irma Abdelnour, Irma Abedoy, Irma Abee, Irma Abegta, Irma Abel, Irma Abelar, Irma Abeldano, Irma Abelia, Irma Abell, Irma Abello, Irma Abergo, Irma Abete, Irma Abeyta, More results

Author: Allen Mercer

NOTES