Golde
A feminine name of Yiddish and German origin meaning "golden" or "golden-haired".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Golde. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Golde today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Golde births was 1896 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Golde. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Golde. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1896
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1915 SSA rank
#4,552
Tracked since 1896
Popularity
Golde: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Golde from the 1890s through to the 1910s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Golde 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 Golde 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 Golde
The name Golde is a feminine given name of German origin, derived from the Old German word "golda," meaning "gold." It emerged during the Middle Ages and was primarily used in Germanic-speaking regions of central Europe.
In the medieval period, the name Golde was associated with wealth, prosperity, and beauty. It was often given to daughters of affluent families or those born with golden-colored hair. The name's connection to the precious metal gold also carried symbolic meanings of purity, radiance, and warmth.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Golde can be found in the German epic poem "Das Nibelungenlied" (The Nibelungenlied), composed around the 13th century. In this literary work, Golde is mentioned as the name of a character, suggesting the name's usage during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Golde. One such figure was Golde Meir (1898-1978), an Israeli politician who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. Known for her determination and leadership during times of conflict, she remains an iconic figure in Israeli history.
Another prominent Golde was Golde Bamber (1858-1923), an American philanthropist and social worker. She dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of underprivileged families and establishing settlement houses in New York City, making significant contributions to the field of social welfare.
In the realm of literature, Golde Wither (1872-1957) was a German-born American writer and journalist. She is best known for her memoir "The Promised Land," which chronicles her experiences as a Jewish immigrant in the United States and offers insights into the challenges faced by newcomers in the early 20th century.
Golde Eckstein (1902-1995) was a German-born Israeli sculptor and painter. Her work, which often depicted biblical themes and scenes from daily life, was celebrated for its expressive and symbolic qualities, earning her recognition as one of Israel's most renowned artists.
Lastly, Golde Hawn (born 1945) is an American actress, producer, and activist. She rose to fame in the 1970s for her comedic roles in films like "Cactus Flower" and "Private Benjamin," and has since been honored with numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
People
Golde + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Golde 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
Golde: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Golde?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Golde 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 - US residents.
Is Golde a common name?
We classify Golde as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Golde most popular?
The single biggest year for Golde was 1896, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Golde is about 0 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 Golde in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Golde a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Golde 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 Golde still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Golde 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 Golde 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 Americans are named Golde?
See how many people share the name Golde on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.