Girls' name · since 1880

Alda

4,966 babies named Alda in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1918. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

#2,590 of 72,339
all-time among girls
4,966
born since 1880
1920s
peak decade

Alda is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 4,966 have been recorded since 1880.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Alda has been recorded 4,966 times among girls since 1880, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. 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 2023.

  • #2,590 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 4,966 born since 1880
  • 1920s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Alda ranks #2,590 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 4,966 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.

#2,590 of 72,339
all-time among girls
4,966
born since 1880
1920s
peak decade
Upper archive tier
All-time archive position

Alda's 4,966 recorded births place it above 96.41% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

23 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

23 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Pennsylvania.

Alda's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Alda's SSA record in two at 1943 and the more recent half accounts for 22% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 78%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1996, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1918 peak of 191, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Alda popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2023

Last recorded 2023
Peak year (1918)
191
Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
050100150200250 188018961912192819441960197619932023 6

Alda popularity over time - boys

10 total births recorded since 1917 (Alda as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 10 births
5 19171921 5

Alda by decade

1920s is the heaviest window (1,240 births, 25% of the file).

1920s was Alda's strongest decade.

1,240 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.

Alda births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,240 births (25% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Alda 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 Alda's total volume

Alda vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%2%4%6%8%10% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -37, 8.4%-60, 3.7%-146, 2%-134, 6.5%-145, 4.5%-78, 6.2%-64, 8.6%-146, 3.1%-146, 2.9%-80, 4.3%-32, 5.4%-41, 6%-57, 4.5%-24, 6.3%-99, 4.7%Alda-144, 3.8%Alda
Alda vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Alda by state

Where Alda concentrates geographically, total births since 1880

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Alda
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Pennsylvania
523 10.5%
#2 North Carolina
235 4.7%
#3 New York
184 3.7%
#4 Texas
106 2.1%
#5 California
90 1.8%
#6 Massachusetts
82 1.7%
#7 Ohio
62 1.2%
#8 Illinois
44 0.9%
Pennsylvania share of Alda's total US births 10.5%
Even split

523 of 4,966 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.

Alda appears in 23 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Alda?
Since 1880, Social Security records show 4,966 babies named Alda. Across the full SSA archive it ranks #2,590 of 72,339 girls' names by total births. The most recent recorded year was 2023. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 191 births.
Where does Alda sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Alda ranks #2,590 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Alda most popular?
Alda was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,240 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Alda most popular?
The top states for the name Alda are Pennsylvania (523 births), North Carolina (235 births), New York (184 births).
How long has the name Alda been used?
The SSA has tracked Alda since 1880 -- 144 years through the most recent 2023 data.
What names are similar to Alda?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Alden, Aldona, Aldine, Aldora, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Alda's data

  • Alda's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,240 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Pennsylvania records the most Aldas (523 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Alda

Nearby Names Like Alda

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Alda

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Alda: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 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, 1880–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

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 Alda 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 August 2026.