Golda
Golden or gilded, derived from the Yiddish name גולדע (Golde).
Name Census estimates that about 1,769 living Americans carry the first name Golda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Golda today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Golda births was 1915 (158 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Golda. 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.
People living today
1.8K
~ 1 in 193,756 Americans
Peak year
1915
158 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,666
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Golda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Golda from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 1,241 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Golda 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 Golda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Goldas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 23 states and territories. New York, Kentucky, Missouri recorded the most babies named Golda, while Michigan, Georgia, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 103 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Golda
The name Golda has its roots in the Yiddish language, which is a Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe. Golda is derived from the German word "gold," meaning "gold" or "golden," reflecting the precious metal's value and desirability.
In the Jewish tradition, Golda was often used as a feminine given name, likely influenced by its positive connotations of beauty, value, and preciousness. The name's popularity can be traced back to the Middle Ages, particularly in Jewish communities across Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Golda can be found in the 16th century, when Golda Bamberger, a Jewish woman from Germany, was mentioned in historical records as a prominent figure in her community.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Golda. One of the most famous is Golda Meir (1898-1978), the fourth Prime Minister of Israel and a influential figure in the establishment of the modern State of Israel. She was born in Kyiv, then part of the Russian Empire, and her leadership during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 cemented her reputation as a formidable stateswoman.
Another prominent Golda was Golda Werman (1908-1962), a Polish-born American sculptor and artist known for her figurative works and portraits. Her sculptures can be found in various museums and public spaces across the United States.
In the realm of literature, Golda Eckstine (1919-2012) was an American writer and poet, best known for her book "The Furious Mourner" and her contributions to the Harlem Renaissance literary movement.
Golda Schultz (born 1982) is a contemporary South African soprano opera singer who has performed on prestigious stages worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Golda Walters (1919-2010) was a British actress and singer who had a successful career on stage and television, most notably in the long-running British soap opera "EastEnders."
While the name Golda has its origins in the Yiddish language and Jewish culture, it has transcended these boundaries and been embraced by individuals from various backgrounds, reflecting the universal appeal of its meaning and the enduring legacy of those who have borne this name throughout history.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Golda
People
Golda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Golda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Golda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Golda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,769 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Golda 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 193,756 US residents.
Is Golda a common name?
We classify Golda as "Rare". It ranks above 93.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6,365 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Golda most popular?
The single biggest year for Golda was 1915, when 158 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Golda is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Golda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Golda 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.
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.