Minda
Small, dear one; loving, caring, affectionate.
Name Census estimates that about 1,051 living Americans carry the first name Minda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Minda today is around 53 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Minda births was 1951 (38 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Minda. 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
1.1K
~ 1 in 326,122 Americans
Peak year
1951
38 babies that year
Average age
53
years old
2023 SSA rank
#16,811
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Minda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Minda from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 307 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Minda 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 Minda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mindas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, New York, Ohio recorded the most babies named Minda, while Texas, Oregon, Michigan recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Minda
The name Minda has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which was prevalent in ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "minda," meaning "precious" or "valuable." The name's roots can be traced back to the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE, when Sanskrit was the primary language of the Indian subcontinent.
In Hindu mythology, Minda is mentioned as the name of a celestial nymph or apsara, known for her beauty and grace. This association with divine beings and the spiritual realm contributed to the name's positive connotations and its enduring popularity.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Minda can be found in ancient Sanskrit texts and inscriptions dating back to the 3rd century BCE. One notable example is the Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy, which mentions a character named Minda.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Minda. One such figure was Minda Devi (1508-1547), a prominent queen and warrior from the Mewar region of present-day Rajasthan, India. She was renowned for her bravery and played a crucial role in defending her kingdom against foreign invaders.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Minda Gunara (1876-1945), an Indonesian writer and activist who championed women's rights and education. Her literary works shed light on the struggles and experiences of women in colonial-era Indonesia.
In the realm of literature, Minda Feliciano (1925-2008) was a celebrated Puerto Rican poet and essayist. Her poetic works explored themes of identity, culture, and the human experience, earning her widespread acclaim and numerous literary awards.
Minda Calaguian (1930-2021) was a Filipino human rights activist and labor leader who dedicated her life to fighting for workers' rights and social justice. She played a pivotal role in the formation of several labor unions and advocacy organizations in the Philippines.
Lastly, Minda Mogorovic (1957-present) is a renowned Serbian painter and multimedia artist. Her vibrant and thought-provoking works have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums around the world, earning her international recognition and critical acclaim.
These examples demonstrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the name Minda throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
People
Minda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Minda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Minda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Minda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,051 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Minda 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 326,122 US residents.
Is Minda a common name?
We classify Minda as "Rare". It ranks above 90.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,600 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Minda most popular?
The single biggest year for Minda was 1951, when 38 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Minda is about 53 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Minda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Minda 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.