Ada
A short form of Germanic names in adal, “noble”; also read as the Hebrew Adah, “adornment.”
Popularity, 1880–2025
Ada appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1880 to 1912. Its biggest year was 1918, when 1,943 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 123 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1880, at No. 33. In 2025 it ranked No. 219 for girls. All told, 107,183 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Aida (13,782), Adah (4,123), Ayda (1,535), Adda (987) (total births since 1880)
Explore Ada interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 8,423 | No. 33 |
| 1890s | 10,379 | No. 50 |
| 1900s | 9,121 | No. 66 |
| 1910s | 15,234 | No. 94 |
| 1920s | 15,135 | No. 136 |
| 1930s | 8,492 | No. 185 |
| 1940s | 5,884 | No. 246 |
| 1950s | 4,306 | No. 352 |
| 1960s | 2,874 | No. 514 |
| 1970s | 1,924 | No. 668 |
| 1980s | 1,606 | No. 858 |
| 1990s | 1,600 | No. 969 |
| 2000s | 3,395 | No. 570 |
| 2010s | 9,037 | No. 208 |
| 2020s | 9,495 | No. 179 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.