Total births
6,806
Girls' name · since 1886
Ima
Since 1886, U.S. Social Security records show 6,806 babies named Ima, peaking in 1927. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 6,806
- total births
- 1886–2025
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
Ima sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 6,806 recorded since 1886.
Ima has 6,806 recorded births among girls since 1886, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2025.
- 6,806 total births
- 1886–2025 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 28% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
6,806 girls have been named Ima since 1886, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2025.
- 6,806
- total births
- 1886–2025
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Ima was born in this single decade.
1927
Single peak year
232 babies were named Ima in 1927 - its busiest year on record.
Ima's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ima splits its recorded history at 1938: 24% of all births land in the more recent half, 76% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1887 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1927 peak of 232 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ima at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1927
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1886
Ima popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2025
- Peak year (1927)
- 232
- Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
Ima by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Ima's strongest decade.
1,939 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Ima births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 30
1880s
30 births
- 1890s 264
1890s
264 births
- 1900s 400
1900s
400 births
- 1910s
1910s
988 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,939 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,817 births
- 1940s
1940s
827 births
- 1950s 302
1950s
302 births
- 1960s 114
1960s
114 births
- 1970s 42
1970s
42 births
- 1980s 30
1980s
30 births
- 1990s 7
1990s
7 births
- 2000s 13
2000s
13 births
- 2010s 20
2010s
20 births
- 2020s 13
2020s
13 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,939 births (28% of all-time use).
How Ima 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 Ima's total volume
Ima vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ima by state
Where Ima concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,697 | 24.9% |
| #2 | Oklahoma | | 642 | 9.4% |
| #3 | Kentucky | | 420 | 6.2% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 396 | 5.8% |
| #5 | Tennessee | | 347 | 5.1% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 284 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 138 | 2.0% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 138 | 2.0% |
Texas share of Ima's total US births 24.9%
Even split
1,697 of 6,806 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
Ima appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ima? ▼
6,806 babies have been named Ima since 1886. It was last recorded in 2025. The peak year was 1927 with 232 births.
When was Ima most popular? ▼
Ima was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,939 total births. The single peak year was 1927.
Where is Ima most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ima are Texas (1,697 births), Oklahoma (642 births), Kentucky (420 births).
How long has the name Ima been used? ▼
Ima has been recorded in Social Security data since 1886, spanning 140 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Ima? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Imani, Iman, Imari, Imaan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ima's data
- Ima's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,939 total births); usage has since declined to 13 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Imas (1,697 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 Ima
Nearby Names Like Ima
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ima
Imani Girl
#526 27,817 births
Iman Girl
#2088 5,124 births
Imari Girl
#5509 2,365 births
Imaan Girl
#3669 814 births
Imara Girl
#2999 720 births
Compare Ima side by side: Ima vs Imani Ima vs Iman Ima vs Imari
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1886–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ima: Baby Name Since 1886 - 6,806 Births, Peak 1927." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ima. 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 Ima 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 July 2026.