Is Ida a boy's or girl's name?

Ida is primarily a girl's name. It is also used as a boy's name, with 766 recorded births.

When was Ida most popular?

Ida reached its peak popularity in 1918 with 4,450 births that year. It is currently ranked #1143 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Ida?

Ida is currently ranked #1143 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 187,714 babies since 1880.

Ida

An uncommon Germanic pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's name| Also boysGermanicRising fast Also a pet name

#1143▲ 46in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from the Germanic languages.

Ida is a girl's and boy's baby name of Germanic origin, from the Old High German Ida, derived from the element id meaning "work" or "labor" — possibly related to the concept of industrious activity. It was also the name of a mountain in Crete and one in Turkey, both with mythological significance.

Ida was a U.S. top-10 girls' name in the 1880s and 1890s. Ida B. Wells, the fearless investigative journalist and civil rights activist who exposed the horrors of lynching in the 1890s, gave the name a legacy of moral courage that few names can match. Short, vivid, and historically extraordinary.

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Popularity Over Time

Ida climbed 1021 spots in the last 20 years — from #2164 to #1143.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Ida
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	1,058	#1145	▼
2010s	1,487	#1555	▲
2000s	915	#2049	▼
1990s	1,067	#1526	▼
1980s	1,687	#949	▼
1970s	2,838	#605	▼
1960s	5,605	#409	▼
1950s	9,761	#275	▼
1940s	14,291	#174	▼
1930s	20,233	#120	▼
1920s	35,619	#77	▲
1910s	34,792	#51	▲
1900s	18,866	#38	▼
1890s	21,212	#22	▲
1880s	18,283	#9	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(145 years, 1880–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Ida
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	211	#1143	+9 (4.5%)
2023	202	#1189	-24 (-10.6%)
2022	226	#1104	+4 (1.8%)
2021	222	#1113	+25 (12.7%)
2020	197	#1178	+13 (7.1%)
2019	184	#1264	-9 (-4.7%)
2018	193	#1216	+13 (7.2%)
2017	180	#1304	-16 (-8.2%)
2016	196	#1246	+34 (21.0%)
2015	162	#1430	+13 (8.7%)
2014	149	#1495	+31 (26.3%)
2013	118	#1746	+17 (16.8%)
2012	101	#1946	+1 (1.0%)
2011	100	#1976	-4 (-3.8%)
2010	104	#1930	+9 (9.5%)
2009	95	#2124	-8 (-7.8%)
2008	103	#2023	+7 (7.3%)
2007	96	#2104	+11 (12.9%)
2006	85	#2254	-7 (-7.6%)
2005	92	#2035	+9 (10.8%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Ida as a Boy's Name

While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Ida has also been given to 766 boys in the U.S. since 1880.

Unranked

Current rank

766

Total births

1929

Peak year

Compare Ida as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked

Can Ida be used for both boys and girls?

Yes, Ida is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it currently ranks #1143. As a boy's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.

Ida has two lives

Ida, the baby name

#1143girls

187,714 babies

Currently viewing

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1880–2024) · Methodology

Ida