Girl name · Germanic
Ida
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: work, industriousIda is a girl's name that comes from Germanic and means "work, industrious". It is used in German, Scandinavian and English.
- Meaning
- Work, industrious
- Origin
- Germanic
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- EE-dah (German)
Meaning and origin of Ida
As a girl's name, Ida comes from Germanic and means "work, industrious". It is used in German, Scandinavian and English.
In German, say EE-dah. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Ida on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Ida on 3 lists.
“Possibly work; Germanic id. An old name, 12th in Germany in 2025. Say EE-dah”
From German girl names, popular German girl names
“Work, labor; Germanic. Mother of the crusader Godfrey of Bouillon, 11th century”
From Medieval names and surnames, medieval female names from England and France
“Work, industrious; Germanic. Shared with crusading journalist B. Wells”
From Vintage girl names, old fashioned girl names from the 1900s to 1920s
How popular is Ida?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,120
- 209 babies, 130 per million girls
- Best rank
- #7 in 1880
- Most babies: 4,450 in 1918
- Babies since 1880
- At least 187,929
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 13,928 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 9,548 per million |
| 1900s | 6,444 per million |
| 1910s | 4,266 per million |
| 1920s | 2,980 per million |
| 1930s | 1,897 per million |
| 1940s | 987 per million |
| 1950s | 507 per million |
| 1960s | 307 per million |
| 1970s | 184 per million |
| 1980s | 98 per million |
| 1990s | 59 per million |
| 2000s | 50 per million |
| 2010s | 85 per million |
| 2020s | 131 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,246 | #1,305 | #1,216 | #1,264 | #1,179 | #1,113 | #1,104 | #1,180 | #1,138 | #1,120 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Ida
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- AmelieWork, industrious (Germanic, girl)
Names spelled like Ida
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- IgaShort form of Jadwiga or Ignacja (Polish, girl)
- IraShort form of Irina, peace (Greek, girl)
- IsaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- IngaNamed for Ing, a Germanic god (Old Norse, girl)
- IrmaWhole, great (Germanic, girl)
- IonaFrom the island of Iona (Scottish place name, girl)
- IslaFrom the island of Islay (Scottish place name, girl)
- IaraLady of the water (Tupi, girl)
- IfeLove (Yoruba, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- AmalasuinthaStrong in work (Gothic, girl)
- AmaliaWork (Germanic, girl)
- EserWork, achievement (Turkish, unisex)
- MelisendeStrong in work (Germanic, girl)
Middle names for Ida
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
- AbigailMy father is joy (Hebrew, girl)
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- AmberAmber, golden fossil resin (Arabic, girl)
- BlairPlain, field (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- FrancesFrenchwoman, from France (Latin, girl)
- MercyCompassion, forgiveness (Latin, girl)
- PoppyPoppy flower (Old English, girl)
- ZinniaFlower named for Johann Zinn (English, girl)
More girl names from Germanic
- EmmaWhole, universal (Germanic, girl)
- AlinaShort form of Adelina, Albina and names ending in -alina (Germanic, girl)
- AliceNobility, of noble kind (Germanic, girl)
- CharlotteFree man, feminine of Charles (Germanic, girl)
- LouiseFamous warrior (Germanic, girl)
- AdaNoble (Germanic, girl)
- AdelaNoble (Germanic, girl)
- AdeleNoble one (Germanic, girl)
- AmeliaPossibly vigorous, brave (Germanic, girl)
- BertaBright, famous (Germanic, girl)
Ida: common questions
What does the name Ida mean?
Ida comes from Germanic and means "work, industrious".
Is Ida a boy or girl name?
Ida is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Ida come from?
Ida comes from Germanic and means "work, industrious". Today it is used in German, Scandinavian and English.
How do you pronounce Ida?
In German, say EE-dah. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Ida?
Ida ranked #1,120 in the US in 2025, with 209 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Ida?
Forms of Ida with the same meaning and origin include Amelie (German).
What middle names go with Ida?
Middle names that flow well with Ida include Abigail, Alexandra, Amber, Blair and Frances. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.