Agda
A feminine name of unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Agda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Agda today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Agda births was 1915 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Agda. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Agda is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Agdas were born before 1968.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Agda. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1915
10 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1924 SSA rank
#4,437
Tracked since 1893
Popularity
Agda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Agda from the 1890s through to the 1920s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1890s, with 31 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1890s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Agda by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Agda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Agda
The given name Agda has its origins in the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Germanic peoples of Scandinavia during the Viking Age, approximately from the 8th to the 11th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "agð," which means "fear" or "terror."
Agda was a relatively common name among the Norse people, particularly in Iceland and Norway. It is found in several ancient Norse texts, including the Icelandic Sagas, which are a collection of stories and historical accounts from the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Agda was Agda Arnfinnsdottir, a Norwegian woman who lived in the 13th century. She was the wife of Erling Vidkunsson, a powerful Norwegian nobleman and military leader.
Another notable figure with the name Agda was Agda Bendixdotter, a Danish woman who lived in the 16th century. She was a renowned herbalist and midwife, and her work contributed significantly to the advancement of midwifery practices in Denmark.
In the realm of literature, Agda is the name of a character in the play "Peer Gynt" by the famous Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906). The character of Agda represents the embodiment of duty and responsibility.
Agda was also the name of Agda Mikkelsen (1892-1987), a Danish journalist and writer who was a prominent figure in the women's rights movement in Denmark. She fought for gender equality and women's suffrage in the early 20th century.
One more historical figure with the name Agda was Agda Larssdotter (1861-1935), a Swedish politician and trade unionist. She was a pioneer in the Swedish labor movement and worked tirelessly to improve the rights and working conditions of women.
While the name Agda was more prevalent in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages and the early modern period, it has become less common in recent times. However, its historical significance and connection to the rich cultural heritage of the Norse people remain an essential part of its legacy.
People
Agda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Agda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Agda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Agda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Agda going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Agda a common name?
We classify Agda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 52 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Agda most popular?
The single biggest year for Agda was 1915, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Agda is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Agda in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Agda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Agda in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Agda still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Agda in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Agda can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Agda?
Find out how many Americans are named Agda on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.