Vilhelmina

Vilhelmina is a Scandinavian and Finnish feminine form of Wilhelm, a Germanic name composed of the elements wil, meaning will or desire, and helm, meaning helmet or protection, giving the overall sense of resolute protector. It gained widespread use across northern Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, carried by noble and royal families, and is notably associated with Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who reigned from 1890 to 1948. Closely related forms include Wilhelmina, Wilhelmine, Vilma, and Mina, the last two serving as common short forms across Scandinavian and Central European traditions.