Heidi first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Heidi has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Heidi

A feminine name of German origin meaning "nobility, of noble birth".

Popularity of Heidi by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Heidi is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Heidi being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 864 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Heidi.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 864
2022 0 849
2021 0 794
2020 0 807
2019 0 844
2018 0 900
2017 0 855
2016 0 889
2015 0 955
2014 0 956
2013 0 902
2012 0 930
2011 0 953
2010 0 1,069
2009 0 1,117
2008 0 1,167
2007 0 1,122
2006 0 1,124
2005 0 994
2004 0 933
2003 0 978
2002 0 954
2001 0 831
2000 0 880
1999 0 915
1998 0 848
1997 0 885
1996 0 993
1995 0 961
1994 0 1,016
1993 5 1,142
1992 0 1,242
1991 0 1,328
1990 0 1,466
1989 10 1,540
1988 11 1,746
1987 9 1,915
1986 6 2,123
1985 8 2,322
1984 9 2,670
1983 12 2,915
1982 19 3,392
1981 8 3,737
1980 21 4,026
1979 22 3,672
1978 19 3,567
1977 18 3,641
1976 17 3,891
1975 14 4,295
1974 15 4,685

The history of the first name Heidi

The name Heidi originated from the German language, derived from the medieval Germanic name Heidrun. Heidrun is a compound word, consisting of the elements "haid" meaning "bright" or "shining," and "run" meaning "secret" or "mystery." The name first appeared in the 8th century AD, popularized in the regions of present-day Germany and Switzerland.

The earliest known reference to the name Heidi can be found in the Old Norse poem "Völuspá," which dates back to the 9th or 10th century AD. In this poem, Heidrun is described as a mythical goat that produces a never-ending supply of mead, the sacred drink of the gods.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Heidi was Heidi of Masmünster, a German abbess who lived in the 12th century. She was known for her piety and devotion to the Church.

The name gained wider recognition in the 19th century with the publication of the classic children's novel "Heidi" by Swiss author Johanna Spyri in 1880. The novel's titular character, Heidi, a young orphan girl, became an iconic figure in children's literature.

Notable people named Heidi throughout history include Heidi Zeller-Bähler (1915-1992), a Swiss politician and the first female member of the Swiss Federal Council; Heidi Klum (born 1973), a German-American model and television personality; Heidi Ueberroth (born 1960), an American Olympic swimmer and gold medalist; Heidi Fleiss (born 1965), an American former madam and convicted felon; and Heidi Tworek (born 1985), a German-American historian and author.

The name Heidi has maintained its popularity, particularly in German-speaking countries and regions with Germanic cultural influences, due to its association with the beloved literary character and its charming, pastoral connotations.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Heidi was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Heidi, please contact us.

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"Heidi first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 13, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/heidi-meaning-and-history/.

"Heidi first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/heidi-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 13 December, 2024

Heidi first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/heidi-meaning-and-history/.

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