Alma

Alma has more than one meaningful language connection. The Latin adjective alma means “nourishing,” while Spanish alma means “soul.” These are distinct explanations, not a single Latin word with both meanings. The given name has been used across several European languages, and its early history does not reduce neatly to one origin story.

Its two syllables and four letters make Alma brief without the appearance of a shortened formal name. Parents drawn to the Spanish meaning can keep that connection explicit, while others may value the older Latin association. The same spelling also occurs independently in other naming traditions, so a family’s own linguistic background helps identify which story fits.