Total births
106,905
Girls' name · since 1880
Ada
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 106,905 babies named Ada, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #191
- among girls today
- 106,905
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Ada is the #191 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 106,905 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ada has been recorded 106,905 times among girls since 1880, currently ranked #191 nationally and more common than 99% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #191 among girls today
- 106,905 born since 1880
- 1910s peak decade
- 99% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ada is currently the #191 girls' name in America, more common than 99% of girls - 106,905 born since 1880, peaking in the 1910s.
- #191
- among girls today
- 106,905
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other girls
Ada vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#191
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 99% of names given to girls today.
1910s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Ada was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
1,943 babies were named Ada in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
How Ada compares
106,905 Top 2% higher than 98% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ada's all-time total is 280x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ada | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 106,905 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 1,943 | 48 | 19,840 |
Ada's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ada splits its recorded history at 1953: 31% of all births land in the more recent half, 69% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1993 (138 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 1,943 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ada at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
1918
Current rank
#191
Active since
1880
Ada popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1918)
- 1,943
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Ada popularity over time - boys
278 total births recorded since 1885 (Ada as boys' name)
Ada by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Ada's strongest decade.
15,234 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Ada births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s
1880s
8,423 births
- 1890s
1890s
10,379 births
- 1900s
1900s
9,121 births
- 1910s
1910s
15,234 births
- 1920s
1920s
15,135 births
- 1930s
1930s
8,492 births
- 1940s 5,884
1940s
5,884 births
- 1950s 4,306
1950s
4,306 births
- 1960s 2,874
1960s
2,874 births
- 1970s 1,924
1970s
1,924 births
- 1980s 1,606
1980s
1,606 births
- 1990s 1,600
1990s
1,600 births
- 2000s 3,395
2000s
3,395 births
- 2010s
2010s
9,037 births
- 2020s
2020s
9,495 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 15,234 births (14% of all-time use).
How Ada compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ada's total volume
Ada vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ada by state
Where Ada concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 5,025 | 4.7% |
| #2 | New York | | 4,991 | 4.7% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 4,489 | 4.2% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 4,069 | 3.8% |
| #5 | California | | 3,734 | 3.5% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 3,710 | 3.5% |
| #7 | Kentucky | | 3,164 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 2,952 | 2.8% |
Texas share of Ada's total US births 4.7%
Even split
5,025 of 106,905 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Ada appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ada? ▼
Ada has been given to 106,905 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #191 as of the latest data. 1,943 babies were born in 1918, its single highest year.
When was Ada most popular? ▼
Ada was most popular in the 1910s decade with 15,234 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Ada most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ada are Texas (5,025 births), New York (4,991 births), Pennsylvania (4,489 births).
How long has the name Ada been used? ▼
Records for Ada go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Ada? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Adalynn, Adalyn, Adaline, Adalee, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ada's data
- Ada's usage has stayed within range of its 1910s decade-level peak (15,234 total births) through the 2020s (9,495) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Adas (5,025 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ada
Nearby Names Like Ada
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ada
Adalynn Girl
#163 34,210 births
Adalyn Girl
#219 31,014 births
Adaline Girl
#194 18,766 births
Adalee Girl
#805 4,731 births
Adah Girl
#2053 4,123 births
Compare Ada side by side: Ada vs Adalynn Ada vs Adalyn Ada vs Adaline
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ada
Reese #190
44,775 births · Peak 2012
Annie #192
360,253 births · Peak 1922
Kylie #189
121,890 births · Peak 2003
Daphne #193
44,182 births · Peak 2025
Lia #188
28,501 births · Peak 2024
Adaline #194
18,766 births · Peak 2016
Sara #187
436,193 births · Peak 1981
Ariella #195
22,371 births · Peak 2020
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ada: #191 Girls' Name - 106,905 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ada. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ada draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.