Idah
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "prosperous" or "blessed".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Idah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Idah today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Idah births was 1916 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Idah. 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 Idah. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1916
7 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#4,164
Tracked since 1898
Popularity
Idah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Idah from the 1890s through to the 1920s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 28 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
Idah 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 Idah 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 Idah
The given name Idah is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language. It is derived from the Hebrew word "Adah," which means "ornament" or "jewel." The name can be traced back to the biblical era, with its earliest recorded use found in the Book of Genesis, where Adah is mentioned as one of the wives of Lamech.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, names often carried significant meanings and were reflective of the cultural and religious beliefs of the time. The name Adah, and its variant Idah, may have been bestowed upon individuals as a symbol of their perceived value or as a representation of their beauty and preciousness.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Idah was Idah of Burgundy, who lived in the 11th century and was the Countess of Nevers and Auxerre. She played a significant role in the political affairs of the region during her lifetime.
Another notable figure with the name Idah was Idah al-Alami, an Andalusian poet and scholar who lived in the 12th century. She was renowned for her literary contributions and was considered a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of her time.
In the 16th century, Idah of Lunenburg was a German noblewoman known for her patronage of the arts and her support for the Protestant Reformation. She played a crucial role in the cultural and religious developments of her region.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Idah Meacham Strobridge was an American educator and advocate for women's rights. Born in 1855, she dedicated her life to promoting educational opportunities for women and advocating for gender equality.
Another notable individual with the name Idah was Idah Soudah, an Egyptian feminist and activist who lived in the early 20th century. She was a pioneer in the fight for women's rights in Egypt and played a significant role in the country's feminist movement during the early years of the 20th century.
While the name Idah may not be as common today as it once was, it remains a testament to its rich historical and cultural heritage, carrying within it the essence of beauty, value, and strength.
People
Idah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Idah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Idah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Idah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Idah 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 Idah a common name?
We classify Idah 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, 40 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Idah most popular?
The single biggest year for Idah was 1916, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Idah 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 Idah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Idah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Idah 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 Idah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Idah 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 Idah 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 Idah?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.