Girl · #10,911 in 2026

Inger

Inger is a Scandinavian given feminine name, originally short for a name in Ing-, either Ingrid or Ingegerd.Inger Ottesdotter Rømer, Norwegian landowner and political intriguer Aud Inger Aure (1942–2023), Norwegian politician Inger Ash Wolfe, Canadian writer Inger Aufles, Norwegian cross-country skier Inger Berggren (1934–2019), Swedish singer Inger Bjørnbakken (1933–2021), Norwegian alpine…

Current Rank
#10,911
Peak Rank
#929 (1966)
Total Babies
1K
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1888
First Year
1986
Last Year
1966
Peak Year
#929
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
69
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Inger

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

Inger is a Scandinavian given feminine name, originally short for a name in Ing-, either Ingrid or Ingegerd.Inger Ottesdotter Rømer, Norwegian landowner and political intriguer Aud Inger Aure (1942–2023), Norwegian politician Inger Ash Wolfe, Canadian writer Inger Aufles, Norwegian cross-country skier Inger Berggren (1934–2019), Swedish singer Inger Bjørnbakken (1933–2021), Norwegian alpine…

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

The Story of Inger

Inger first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1888, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1966, when 118 Ingers were born — ranking #929 that year. As of 2026, Inger ranks #10,911 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 1K Ingers 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
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SD
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OH
PA
NJ
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RI
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NE
MO
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MD
DE
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Top 10
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500+
No data

Names that sound like Inger

Phonetically similar names — useful when Inger 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 Inger

What does the name Inger mean?
Inger is a Scandinavian given feminine name, originally short for a name in Ing-, either Ingrid or Ingegerd.Inger Ottesdotter Rømer, Norwegian landowner and political intriguer Aud Inger Aure (1942–2023), Norwegian politician Inger Ash Wolfe, Canadian writer Inger Aufles, Norwegian cross-country skier Inger Berggren (1934–2019), Swedish singer Inger Bjørnbakken (1933–2021), Norwegian alpine…
How popular is Inger in 2026?
In 2026, Inger ranks #10,911 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Inger most popular?
Inger reached its peak popularity in 1966, ranking #929 that year with 118 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Inger most popular?
Inger has historically been most popular in Maryland, Alabama, Michigan. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Inger.
Is Inger a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Inger is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Inger?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Inger include Lonna, Gaylene, Bev. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Lonna
Peak #929
👧
Gaylene
Peak #929
👧
Bev
Peak #929
👧
Shaun
Peak #929
👧
Kalene
Peak #929
👧
Arley
Peak #930
👧
Leland
Peak #930
👧
Gregoria
Peak #928

About the name Inger

Inger is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1888 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Inger's peak popularity came in 1966 when it ranked #929. Use the chart and map above to compare Inger'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.