Imelda Girl

Popularity: #908 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ih-MEL-duh /ɪˈmɛl.də/

Origin: Spanish; German

Meaning: Spanish: powerful fighter; German: universal battle

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Imelda has its roots in the Germanic elements "irmin," meaning "universal" or "whole," and "hild," meaning "battle." The name was introduced to the English language through the Old High German form "Irminhild," which evolved into various forms in different languages, including the Latinized version "Imelda." The name made its way into English via the influence of the Spanish and Italian cultures, particularly through the veneration of Saint Imelda, a 14th-century Italian saint known for her piety and devotion. Imelda is notably associated with Saint Imelda of Lambertini, who was born in 1320 and became a nun at a young age.

She is celebrated for her deep spirituality and is often depicted in religious art, which contributed to the name's prominence in Christian contexts. The name gained further recognition through the canonization of Imelda in the 19th century, solidifying its place in the pantheon of saintly names used in various Christian communities.

Culturally, the name Imelda has been embraced in various regions, particularly in Spain and Italy, where it is often associated with virtues such as faith and purity. The name's historical significance is underscored by its use in literature and the arts, where it has appeared in various works, often symbolizing strength and resilience.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Mela" have emerged, reflecting the affectionate and familial connections associated with the name. Overall, Imelda's etymological roots, historical milestones, and cultural resonance contribute to its enduring legacy.

Famous people named Imelda

In this section, you will find notable people named Imelda. 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 Imelda who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Imelda 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.

Imelda Marcos is a socialite and former First Lady of the Philippines best known for her extravagant lifestyle and the collection of shoes left behind in Malacañang Palace.

Fictional characters named Imelda

The following list of fictional characters named Imelda 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.

Imelda Marcos is a fictional character from the musical Here Lies Love. She is portrayed as the former First Lady of the Philippines, known for her extravagant lifestyle and political influence.

Sibling suggestions

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

IsabellaEmiliaAmeliaMirandaSelenaGabriella

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Imelda. 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.

IsoldeInesInezImaraIvyElenaMirellaAdelaMila

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Imelda was first seen in the United States in 1891.

Imelda has ranked as high as #1593 nationally, which occurred in 1978, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Imelda 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 Imelda was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Imelda (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 8
100%

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 Imelda.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 33 33
2024 42 42
2023 32 32
2022 33 33
2021 39 39
2020 41 41
2019 30 30
2018 38 38
2017 32 32
2016 35 35
2015 19 19
2014 24 24
2013 27 27
2012 33 33
2011 23 23
2010 25 25
2009 35 35
2008 41 41
2007 49 49
2006 58 58
2005 55 55
2004 50 50
2003 55 55
2002 42 42
2001 68 68
2000 57 57
1999 48 48
1998 72 72
1997 69 69
1996 59 59
1995 89 89
1994 65 65
1993 75 75
1992 95 95
1991 88 88
1990 88 88
1989 90 90
1988 61 61
1987 74 74
1986 81 81
1985 71 71
1984 80 80
1983 91 91
1982 110 110
1981 120 120
1980 119 119
1979 105 105
1978 149 149
1977 138 138
1976 137 137
1975 137 137
1974 127 127
1973 130 130
1972 103 103
1971 141 141
1970 116 116
1969 99 99
1968 94 94
1967 76 76
1966 77 77
1965 77 77
1964 60 60
1963 80 80
1962 67 67
1961 78 78
1960 78 78
1959 67 67
1958 80 80
1957 86 86
1956 63 63
1955 76 76
1954 54 54
1953 65 65
1952 59 59
1951 57 57
1950 59 59
1949 48 48
1948 59 59
1947 61 61
1946 42 42
1945 34 34
1944 25 25
1943 32 32
1942 37 37
1941 40 40
1940 34 34
1939 37 37
1938 63 63
1937 32 32
1936 49 49
1935 41 41
1934 38 38
1933 48 48
1932 50 50
1931 50 50
1930 68 68
1929 53 53
1928 79 79
1927 64 64
1926 72 72
1925 54 54
1924 55 55
1923 60 60
1922 49 49
1921 61 61
1920 50 50
1919 61 61
1918 57 57
1917 66 66
1916 63 63
1915 55 55
1914 44 44
1913 35 35
1912 27 27
1911 32 32
1910 17 17
1909 19 19
1908 9 9
1907 7 7
1906 7 7
1905 12 12
1904 6 6
1903 8 8
1902 9 9
1901 15 15
1900 13 13
1899 8 8
1898 13 13
1895 7 7
1891 5 5