Girl · #194 in 2026

Ada

Ada is a mostly feminine given name with the exception of the Turkish name being unisex. One origin is the Germanic element "adel-" meaning "nobility", for example as part of the names Adelaide and Adeline. The name can also trace to a Hebrew origin, sometimes spelled Adah עָדָה, meaning "adornment". Ada means "first daughter" among the Igbo People.

  • English
  • Italian
  • Spanish
  • German
Current Rank
#194
Peak Rank
#33 (1918)
Total Babies
109K
5-Yr Trend
+15%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1918
Peak Year
#33
Peak Rank
109K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ada

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Ada is a mostly feminine given name with the exception of the Turkish name being unisex. One origin is the Germanic element "adel-" meaning "nobility", for example as part of the names Adelaide and Adeline. The name can also trace to a Hebrew origin, sometimes spelled Adah עָדָה, meaning "adornment". Ada means "first daughter" among the Igbo People.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • Italian
  • Spanish
  • German
  • Dutch
  • Norwegian
  • Polish
  • Finnish
  • Germanic
  • Turkish
  • Hebrew
  • Biblical Hebrew

The Story of Ada

The earliest SSA record of Ada as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 652 babies received it. 1918 was its biggest year on record, with 1,943 newborns named Ada — #123 in the national rankings. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #194 among baby girl names with 1,603 births, rising sharply (+15% over the past five years). In total, more than 109K Adas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Ada

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Ada. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Ada

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ada is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ada

What does the name Ada mean?
Ada is a mostly feminine given name with the exception of the Turkish name being unisex. One origin is the Germanic element "adel-" meaning "nobility", for example as part of the names Adelaide and Adeline. The name can also trace to a Hebrew origin, sometimes spelled Adah עָדָה, meaning "adornment". Ada means "first daughter" among the Igbo People.
What is the origin of the name Ada?
Ada has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Finnish, Germanic, Turkish, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew.
How popular is Ada in 2026?
In 2026, Ada ranks #194 among girls' names in the U.S., with 1,603 babies given the name that year.
When was Ada most popular?
Ada reached its peak popularity in 1918, ranking #33 that year with 1,943 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Ada most popular?
Ada has historically been most popular in Arizona, Maine, Utah. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ada.
Is Ada a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Ada is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Ada?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ada include Lillie, Lucy, Bonnie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Ada?
Common variants and related forms of Ada include Aada, Adalhaid, Adalheidis, Adaline, Adalyn, Adalynn. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Lillie
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Lucy
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👧
Bonnie
Peak #33
👧
Audrey
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👧
Gabriella
Peak #33
👧
Shelby
Peak #33
👧
Kristen
Peak #33
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Jessie
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About the name Ada

Ada is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 109K births in the dataset. Ada's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #33. Use the chart and map above to compare Ada's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.