Iona
Iona is a given name that is taken from the Scottish island of Iona, which has a particular significance in the history of Christianity. The derivation of this island name itself is uncertain. The earliest forms of the name enabled toponymist William J. Watson to state that it originally meant something like "yew-place".
Meaning & Origin of Iona
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Iona is a given name that is taken from the Scottish island of Iona, which has a particular significance in the history of Christianity. The derivation of this island name itself is uncertain. The earliest forms of the name enabled toponymist William J. Watson to state that it originally meant something like "yew-place".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Iona
Iona first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 18 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 404 Ionas were born — ranking #317 that year. As of 2026, Iona ranks #2,694 for baby girls with 64 births, holding steady (+4%). In total, more than 12K Ionas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Iona
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Iona Allen (1937–2003), American seamstress
- Iona Anderson , Australian swimmer
- Iona Andronov (1934–2024), Russian politician
- Iona Banks (1920–2008), Welsh actress
- Iona Brown (1941–2004), British violinist and conductor
- Iona Campagnolo (1932–2024), Canadian politician
- Iona Campbell, Duchess of Argyll (1945–2024), Scottish noblewoman
- Iona Craig , British-Irish journalist
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Iona
Phonetically similar names — useful when Iona 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 Iona
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About the name Iona
Iona is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 12K births in the dataset. Iona's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #317. Use the chart and map above to compare Iona's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- 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.