Ada Girl

Popularity: #210 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AY-duh //ˈeɪ.də//

Origin: German; Hebrew

Meaning: Noble; Adornment

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ada has roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the word 'adāh,' which means 'ornament' or 'adornment.' This name appears in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Genesis, where Ada is mentioned as one of the wives of Lamech, a figure in the genealogy of Noah. The name subsequently made its way into various languages through translations of biblical texts, influencing its adoption in different cultures.

In the early medieval period, Ada was introduced into Old French as 'Adele,' which later evolved into various forms across Europe, including the Germanic 'Adelheid' and the English 'Adelaide.' The name Ada itself emerged in English usage during the 19th century, influenced by the Romantic movement and the growing interest in medieval names. Historically, the name Ada has been associated with several notable figures, including Ada Lovelace, who is often regarded as one of the first computer programmers in the mid-19th century.

Her work on Charles Babbage's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine, has left a lasting legacy in the fields of mathematics and computer science. Additionally, the name Ada has been borne by various saints and noblewomen throughout history, contributing to its cultural significance.

Culturally, Ada has been embraced in literature and the arts, often symbolizing beauty and grace. The name's simplicity and elegance have allowed it to resonate across different cultures and eras.

In some traditions, diminutive forms such as Addie have emerged, reflecting a more affectionate or familial usage. Overall, Ada's historical and cultural associations have contributed to its enduring presence in various societies.

Famous people named Ada

In this section, you will find notable people named Ada. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ada who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ada who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Ada Lovelace is a mathematician and writer best known for her work on Charles Babbage's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine.

Ada Wong is a fictional character best known for her role in the Resident Evil video game series.

Ada Nicodemou is an actress best known for her role in Home and Away.

Fictional characters named Ada

The following list of fictional characters named Ada is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Ada Wong is a fictional character from the video game series Resident Evil. She is a mysterious spy who often assists the protagonists while pursuing her own agenda.

Ada is a fictional character from the novel Ada or Ardor by Vladimir Nabokov. She is the central character in a complex narrative exploring themes of love and memory.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ada, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ada. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ada was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Ada has ranked as high as #213 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Ada has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ada is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ada was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ada.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,401 0 1,401
2024 1,575 0 1,575
2023 1,652 0 1,652
2022 1,657 0 1,657
2021 1,650 0 1,650
2020 1,560 0 1,560
2019 1,467 0 1,467
2018 1,302 0 1,302
2017 1,020 0 1,020
2016 968 0 968
2015 922 0 922
2014 871 0 871
2013 703 0 703
2012 634 0 634
2011 606 0 606
2010 551 7 544
2009 537 0 537
2008 529 0 529
2007 466 0 466
2006 410 6 404
2005 329 0 329
2004 312 6 306
2003 220 0 220
2002 214 0 214
2001 193 0 193
2000 197 0 197
1999 184 0 184
1998 146 0 146
1997 143 0 143
1996 140 0 140
1995 150 0 150
1994 155 0 155
1993 138 0 138
1992 197 0 197
1991 170 0 170
1990 177 0 177
1989 165 0 165
1988 154 0 154
1987 157 0 157
1986 146 0 146
1985 170 5 165
1984 162 6 156
1983 146 0 146
1982 170 0 170
1981 181 0 181
1980 166 0 166
1979 179 0 179
1978 197 0 197
1977 187 0 187
1976 168 0 168
1975 191 5 186
1974 164 0 164
1973 201 0 201
1972 206 0 206
1971 198 0 198
1970 238 0 238
1969 223 0 223
1968 254 0 254
1967 245 0 245
1966 244 0 244
1965 268 0 268
1964 318 0 318
1963 305 0 305
1962 322 0 322
1961 344 0 344
1960 351 0 351
1959 364 0 364
1958 371 0 371
1957 393 0 393
1956 397 0 397
1955 433 0 433
1954 444 0 444
1953 437 0 437
1952 482 0 482
1951 514 0 514
1950 471 0 471
1949 497 0 497
1948 533 0 533
1947 524 0 524
1946 547 0 547
1945 527 0 527
1944 547 0 547
1943 658 0 658
1942 709 0 709
1941 683 6 677
1940 665 0 665
1939 703 0 703
1938 755 10 745
1937 796 0 796
1936 750 0 750
1935 805 7 798
1934 833 0 833
1933 876 6 870
1932 984 0 984
1931 979 6 973
1930 1,040 0 1,040
1929 1,137 8 1,129
1928 1,223 10 1,213
1927 1,359 12 1,347
1926 1,468 6 1,462
1925 1,507 7 1,500
1924 1,590 7 1,583
1923 1,646 8 1,638
1922 1,690 6 1,684
1921 1,763 7 1,756
1920 1,829 6 1,823
1919 1,830 12 1,818
1918 1,950 7 1,943
1917 1,853 0 1,853
1916 1,867 7 1,860
1915 1,826 9 1,817
1914 1,499 5 1,494
1913 1,288 6 1,282
1912 1,274 6 1,268
1911 939 0 939
1910 960 0 960
1909 945 0 945
1908 922 0 922
1907 906 0 906
1906 819 0 819
1905 873 0 873
1904 878 0 878
1903 843 0 843
1902 929 8 921
1901 913 0 913
1900 1,101 0 1,101
1899 984 0 984
1898 1,027 5 1,022
1897 966 10 956
1896 1,041 0 1,041
1895 1,133 9 1,124
1894 1,024 6 1,018
1893 1,051 0 1,051
1892 1,140 6 1,134
1891 982 7 975
1890 1,074 0 1,074
1889 1,012 7 1,005
1888 1,121 5 1,116
1887 915 5 910
1886 921 6 915
1885 881 5 876
1884 854 0 854
1883 778 0 778
1882 689 0 689
1881 628 0 628
1880 652 0 652

Top States for Ada (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 104
7%
TX 95
6%
NC 76
5%
PA 76
5%
NY 74
5%
IL 72
5%
OH 64
4%
MI 58
4%
GA 57
4%
FL 55
4%
TN 53
3%
WI 51
3%
MN 45
3%
VA 44
3%
IN 44
3%
AL 39
3%
IA 39
3%
MA 37
2%
WA 36
2%
CO 35
2%
MO 33
2%
NE 27
2%
LA 26
2%
OR 26
2%
UT 26
2%
NJ 24
2%
KY 23
1%
SC 23
1%
MD 22
1%
AZ 20
1%
AR 14
1%
KS 14
1%
WV 13
1%
NV 13
1%
NH 12
1%
MS 11
1%
ND 9
1%
ID 9
1%
CT 9
1%
OK 8
1%
ME 8
1%
SD 8
1%
DC 6
0%
MT 5
0%