Arminda is a unique and elegant name of Latin origin. It means "graceful" or "gracious," which certainly suits its bearer well. The name Arminda comes from the Latin word "armatus," meaning "armed" or "equipped." However, it's important to note that Arminda is not a common name and may have been created as a variant of other names like Armanda or Armina.
The earliest known use of the name Arminda was in the 17th century. It appears in several works by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso, including his epic poem "Jerusalem Delivered." In this work, Arminda is a beautiful and virtuous lady who is loved by many suitors but remains faithful to her beloved Tancred.
Despite its literary beginnings, Arminda has not become widely popular as a given name. However, it continues to be used occasionally in some parts of Europe, particularly Italy and Spain. Today, those who bear the name Arminda can take pride in their unique and meaningful moniker, which signifies grace and elegance.
The name Arminda has a unique history of usage in the United States over the past century and a half. The first recorded birth with this name occurred in 1881, with 7 newborn girls being named Arminda that year.
In the years following, the popularity of the name varied significantly. For instance, there were no recorded births with the name Arminda in certain years like 1887 to 1889 and 1901 to 1905. However, it began to gain traction again in the early 20th century, with a notable spike in 1917 when 19 girls were named Arminda.
The popularity of Arminda seemed to fluctuate throughout the mid-20th century, with peaks in the late 1940s and early 1950s (18 births in 1953), followed by a decline and then another increase in the late 1960s and early 1970s (26 births in 1971). Interestingly, Arminda had a brief resurgence of popularity in the mid-1980s to early 1990s with around 20 births per year.
However, since the late 1990s, the name Arminda has seen a significant decline in usage. There were only 5 or fewer recorded births each year from 1996 onwards, suggesting that it is no longer a popular choice among parents in the United States today.
Despite its fluctuating popularity over time, the total number of newborn girls named Arminda in the U.S. amounts to an impressive 1294 over these many decades. Each one of these births represents a unique individual with her own story and identity.