Meaning and background
The story behind Alma
Alma can carry a soul association through Spanish, yet its history is broader than a one-word translation. A European naming tradition probably drew on Latin almus, connected with nourishment, and gained visibility after the 1854 Battle of Alma. A separate Hebrew name means a young woman. These routes should be kept distinct when explaining a dog's name. If the attraction is the Spanish word, say so directly; that makes the personal story clearer than presenting several unrelated meanings as one origin.
- Origin
- European use may reflect Latin almus and the Battle of Alma; a separate Hebrew name also exists. Source · Source 2
- Meaning
- The Hebrew name Alma means a young woman; Spanish alma is a separate soul association. Source · Source 2
Try Alma out loud
Everyday moments“Alma, come here!”
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About Alma
Recorded as a dog’s name
Alma appears in 12 dog licence records in the 2026 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/ɑlmə/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/ɑlmə/ · primary stress on syllable 1AA1 L M AH0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — extract_year 2026 — Dog licence periods, not unique dogs; NYC only. No owner-level fields retrieved.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.