Thelma is a female given name. It was popularized by Victorian writer Marie Corelli who gave the name to the title character of her 1887 novel Thelma. Although the character was supposed to be Norwegian, it is not a traditional Scandinavian name. It may be related to a Greek word meaning "will, volition" see Thelema). Note that although consonant with another female given name, Selma, the two are not synonymous.
People with the name
Thelma Akana Harrison (1905–1972), American politician
Thelma Aoyama (born 1987), Japanese pop singer
Thelma Barlow (born 1929), English actress
Thelma Carpenter (1922–1997), American jazz singer and actress
Thelma Cazalet-Keir (1899–1989), British politician
Thelma Drake (born 1949), American politician
Thelma Eisen (1922–2014), American baseball player
Thelma Fardin (born 1992), Argentine actress
Thelma Forbes (1910–2012), Canadian politician
Thelma Furness, Viscountess Furness (1904–1970), mistress of King Edward VIII