This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Ida – Meaning: from a Germanic word for 'work'; industrious – Origin: Germanic – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: EYE-dah
Ida (pronounced EYE-dah) has a short, clean sound that fits right in with today's pared-back naming style. The name traces back to a Germanic word for 'work,' carrying the sense of industrious. You might see Ida glossed elsewhere as 'prosperous' or 'happy,' or linked to Mount Ida from Greek myth, but neither holds up — that Mount Ida connection is just a 19th-century folk association, not where the name actually comes from.
Meaning & Origin of Ida
Meaning: From a germanic word for 'work'; industrious.
Origin: Germanic.
A common claim: Baby-name catalogs often gloss Ida as 'prosperous' or 'happy,' and it's sometimes linked to Mount Ida of Greek myth. Actually: Neither holds up — Ida's real root is Germanic for 'work' (industrious); the Mount Ida connection is a 19th-century folk association, not the true etymology, and 'prosperous, happy' isn't supported by that root.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Ida
Phonetic: EYE-dah IPA: /ˈaɪdə/
Popularity of Ida
Ida reached as high as #7 back in 1880, when 1,472 girls were given the name, but by 2024 it had dropped to #1143, with just 211 babies named Ida that year.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Ida Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Ida, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Ida mean?
From a germanic word for ‘work’; industrious. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ida)
How do you pronounce Ida?
Ida is pronounced EYE-dah (IPA: /ˈaɪdə/).
Is Ida a popular name right now?
Ida peaked at #7 in 1880 and is ranked #1143 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Ida? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Ida
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
