Imelda Girl
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.
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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Imelda was first seen in the United States in 1891.
Imelda has ranked as high as #950 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 |
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 | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 42 |
| 2023 | 32 |
| 2022 | 33 |
| 2021 | 38 |
| 2020 | 41 |
| 2019 | 30 |
| 2018 | 38 |
| 2017 | 32 |
| 2016 | 35 |
| 2015 | 19 |
| 2014 | 24 |
| 2013 | 27 |
| 2012 | 33 |
| 2011 | 23 |
| 2010 | 25 |
| 2009 | 35 |
| 2008 | 41 |
| 2007 | 49 |
| 2006 | 58 |
| 2005 | 55 |
| 2004 | 50 |
| 2003 | 55 |
| 2002 | 42 |
| 2001 | 68 |
| 2000 | 57 |
| 1999 | 48 |
| 1998 | 72 |
| 1997 | 69 |
| 1996 | 59 |
| 1995 | 89 |
| 1994 | 65 |
| 1993 | 75 |
| 1992 | 95 |
| 1991 | 88 |
| 1990 | 88 |
| 1989 | 90 |
| 1988 | 61 |
| 1987 | 74 |
| 1986 | 81 |
| 1985 | 71 |
| 1984 | 80 |
| 1983 | 91 |
| 1982 | 110 |
| 1981 | 120 |
| 1980 | 119 |
| 1979 | 105 |
| 1978 | 149 |
| 1977 | 138 |
| 1976 | 137 |
| 1975 | 137 |
| 1974 | 127 |
| 1973 | 130 |
| 1972 | 103 |
| 1971 | 141 |
| 1970 | 116 |
| 1969 | 99 |
| 1968 | 94 |
| 1967 | 76 |
| 1966 | 77 |
| 1965 | 77 |
| 1964 | 60 |
| 1963 | 80 |
| 1962 | 67 |
| 1961 | 78 |
| 1960 | 78 |
| 1959 | 67 |
| 1958 | 80 |
| 1957 | 86 |
| 1956 | 63 |
| 1955 | 76 |
| 1954 | 54 |
| 1953 | 65 |
| 1952 | 59 |
| 1951 | 57 |
| 1950 | 59 |
| 1949 | 48 |
| 1948 | 59 |
| 1947 | 61 |
| 1946 | 42 |
| 1945 | 34 |
| 1944 | 25 |
| 1943 | 32 |
| 1942 | 37 |
| 1941 | 40 |
| 1940 | 34 |
| 1939 | 37 |
| 1938 | 63 |
| 1937 | 32 |
| 1936 | 49 |
| 1935 | 41 |
| 1934 | 38 |
| 1933 | 48 |
| 1932 | 50 |
| 1931 | 50 |
| 1930 | 68 |
| 1929 | 53 |
| 1928 | 79 |
| 1927 | 64 |
| 1926 | 72 |
| 1925 | 54 |
| 1924 | 55 |
| 1923 | 60 |
| 1922 | 49 |
| 1921 | 61 |
| 1920 | 50 |
| 1919 | 61 |
| 1918 | 57 |
| 1917 | 66 |
| 1916 | 63 |
| 1915 | 55 |
| 1914 | 44 |
| 1913 | 35 |
| 1912 | 27 |
| 1911 | 32 |
| 1910 | 17 |
| 1909 | 19 |
| 1908 | 9 |
| 1907 | 7 |
| 1906 | 7 |
| 1905 | 12 |
| 1904 | 6 |
| 1903 | 8 |
| 1902 | 9 |
| 1901 | 15 |
| 1900 | 13 |
| 1899 | 8 |
| 1898 | 13 |
| 1895 | 7 |
| 1891 | 5 |