Ada

Ada - A very unique female name

Ada appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #94. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ada and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ada? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Ada. The baby girl name Ada was given to 1,382 baby girls in 2025, ranking #219 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 943 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ada peaked in popularity 116 years ago in 1910 on position 94.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ada, 1-5?

Ada is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ada is currently topping the baby name charts in North Dakota at position #91 - and is the least popular in Arizona at position #388.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Ada is where you live.

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Ada origin and meaning

Germanic, also matching a Hebrew biblical name

"Noble" — the Germanic Ada is a short form of names built on adal, "noble"; the Bible's Adah is a separate Hebrew name meaning "adornment"

Ada's main line is Germanic — a short, noble-rooted name familiar in medieval and Victorian England — though it conveniently matches the biblical Adah in sound. America peaked on Ada in 1918, and the name has revived with the short vintage names, though it has slipped from #185 in 2020 to #219.

Attested etymology

Ada is a 3 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Ada, pop culture references for the name Ada and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Ada

We've found the following names that sound similar to Ada, sorted by popularity.

Addie / Aida / Aadhya / Aditi / Aadya / Aide / Adia / Ayat / Audie / Adah /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Ada

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Ada a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Ada?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

AY-duh · /ˈeɪdə/

Around the world

• Ada (German) — Used as-is in German, a long-established short form there

Spellings and nicknames

• Adah — The biblical spelling, also used as a given name

Famous bearers

• Ada Lovelace — Mathematician who wrote the first algorithm intended for a computer (1815–1852) Historical
• Ada Yonath — Israeli crystallographer and Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry (b. 1939) Contemporary

Style

Vintage revivalClassicShort form

Why parents choose it

Parents pick Ada for its poised brevity — a palindrome of a name with a pioneering mathematician attached and a vintage glow.

Worth knowing

• It is one sound away from Ava, one of the biggest names of the era, and from Ida and Aida.
• The Ada/Adda spelling and the AY-duh (not AH-duh) pronunciation need an occasional correction.