Ilona
Ilona is a feminine given name used primarily in Hungary and Finland, as well as in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe.
Meaning & Origin of Ilona
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ilona is a feminine given name used primarily in Hungary and Finland, as well as in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ilona
Ilona first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1909, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1946, when 102 Ilonas were born — ranking #818 that year. As of 2026, Ilona ranks #5,275 for baby girls with 24 births, gradually falling (-12%). In total, more than 3K Ilonas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Ilona
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Archduchess Ilona of Austria (1927-2011)
- Ilona Ács (1920–1976), Hungarian freestyle swimmer
- Ilona Aczél (1884–1940), Hungarian actress
- Ilona Andrássy (1858–1952), Hungarian noblewoman
- Ilona Andrews , joint pen name of American novelist duo Ilona and Andrew Gordon
- Ilona Banga (1906–1998), Hungarian biochemist
- Ilona Bata (born 1955), Hungarian rower
- Ilona Békési (born 1953), Hungarian artistic gymnast
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Ilona
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ilona 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 Ilona
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About the name Ilona
Ilona is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1909 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Ilona's peak popularity came in 1946 when it ranked #818. Use the chart and map above to compare Ilona's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1946 →
- Names of the 1940s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.