Hadasa
A feminine Hebrew name meaning "new" or "reborn".
Name Census estimates that about 522 living Americans carry the first name Hadasa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hadasa today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hadasa births was 2015 (43 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hadasa. 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
522
~ 1 in 656,618 Americans
Peak year
2015
43 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,051
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Hadasa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hadasa from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 287 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Hadasa remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hadasa 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 Hadasa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hadasas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Hadasa, while Florida, Texas, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 33 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hadasa
Hadasa is a Hebrew name derived from the word "hadas," meaning myrtle tree. The myrtle tree holds significant symbolism in Jewish culture, representing peace, fertility, and love. The name Hadasa can be traced back to the ancient times of the Hebrew Bible, where it first appeared in the Book of Esther.
In the Book of Esther, Hadasa was the original Hebrew name of Queen Esther, the Jewish heroine who saved her people from persecution in ancient Persia. Esther's Hebrew name, Hadasa, symbolized her Jewish identity and connection to her roots, while her Persian name, Esther, allowed her to assimilate into the royal court.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hadasa can be found in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism. The Talmud mentions a woman named Hadasa who lived during the Mishnaic period in the 2nd century CE.
Throughout history, several notable women have carried the name Hadasa. In the 16th century, Hadasa bat Israel was a renowned Kabbalist and scholar who lived in Safed, a city in Ottoman Palestine. She was known for her profound knowledge of Jewish mysticism and her contributions to the study of the Zohar, a foundational text of Kabbalah.
In the 19th century, Hadasa Luria was a prominent Jewish educator and philanthropist from Jerusalem. She established one of the first modern schools for Jewish girls in the city, promoting education and empowerment for women in the region.
Another notable figure with the name Hadasa was Hadasa Ben-Itto, an Israeli politician and activist born in 1927. She served as a member of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) and was a vocal advocate for women's rights and social justice issues.
In more recent times, Hadasa Margolese, born in 1957, is a Canadian writer and academic. She has published several books and articles exploring Jewish literature, culture, and identity.
The name Hadasa continues to hold significance in the Jewish community, serving as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage and symbolism associated with the myrtle tree. It is a name that has endured through centuries, carrying with it a sense of resilience, strength, and connection to one's roots.
People
Hadasa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hadasa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hadasa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hadasa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 522 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hadasa 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 656,618 US residents.
Is Hadasa a common name?
We classify Hadasa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 527 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hadasa most popular?
The single biggest year for Hadasa was 2015, when 43 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hadasa is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hadasa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hadasa 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.