Total births
7,476
Girls' name · since 1891
Imelda
Since 1891, U.S. Social Security records show 7,476 babies named Imelda, peaking in 1978. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3644
- among girls today
- 7,476
- born since 1891
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other girls
7,476 babies have been named Imelda since 1891, making it today's #3644 girls' name.
Imelda has 7,476 recorded births among girls since 1891, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3644 as of the latest data, more common than 79% of girls, busiest in the 1970s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1891 to 2025.
- #3644 among girls today
- 7,476 born since 1891
- 1970s peak decade
- 79% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Imelda is currently the #3644 girls' name in America, more common than 79% of girls - 7,476 born since 1891, peaking in the 1970s.
- #3644
- among girls today
- 7,476
- born since 1891
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other girls
Imelda vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3644
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 79% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Imelda was born in this single decade.
1978
Single peak year
149 babies were named Imelda in 1978 - its busiest year on record.
How Imelda compares
7,476 Top 10% higher than 90% 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
Imelda's all-time total is 20x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Imelda | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,476 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 149 | 48 | 19,840 |
Imelda's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Imelda's full recorded timeline at 1961, 62% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 38% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1891, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1978 peak of 149 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Imelda at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1978
Current rank
#3,644
Active since
1891
Imelda popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1891–2025
- Peak year (1978)
- 149
- Annual births at peak, across 135 years of records
Imelda by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Imelda's strongest decade.
1,283 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Imelda births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 33
1890s
33 births
- 1900s 105
1900s
105 births
- 1910s 457
1910s
457 births
- 1920s
1920s
597 births
- 1930s 476
1930s
476 births
- 1940s 412
1940s
412 births
- 1950s
1950s
666 births
- 1960s
1960s
786 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,283 births
- 1980s
1980s
897 births
- 1990s
1990s
748 births
- 2000s 510
2000s
510 births
- 2010s 286
2010s
286 births
- 2020s 220
2020s
220 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 1,283 births (17% of all-time use).
How Imelda 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 Imelda's total volume
Imelda vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Imelda by state
Where Imelda concentrates geographically, total births since 1891
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 2,223 | 29.7% |
| #2 | California | | 1,760 | 23.5% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 221 | 3.0% |
| #4 | Massachusetts | | 142 | 1.9% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 86 | 1.2% |
| #6 | Arizona | | 79 | 1.1% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 55 | 0.7% |
| #8 | New York | | 48 | 0.6% |
Texas share of Imelda's total US births 29.7%
Even split
2,223 of 7,476 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Imelda appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Imelda? ▼
Since 1891, Social Security records show 7,476 babies named Imelda. Today it holds rank #3644 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1978, with 149 births.
When was Imelda most popular? ▼
Imelda was most popular in the 1970s decade with 1,283 total births. The single peak year was 1978.
Where is Imelda most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Imelda are Texas (2,223 births), California (1,760 births), Illinois (221 births).
How long has the name Imelda been used? ▼
Imelda has been recorded in Social Security data since 1891, spanning 135 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Imelda? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Imena, Imela, Imesha, Imee, and 2 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Imelda's data
- Imelda's decade-level peak was the 1970s (1,283 total births); usage has since declined to 220 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Imeldas (2,223 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 Imelda
Nearby Names Like Imelda
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Imelda
Imena Girl
21 births
Imela Girl
20 births
Imesha Girl
10 births
Imee Girl
8 births
Imery Girl
6 births
Compare Imelda side by side: Imelda vs Imena Imelda vs Imela Imelda vs Imesha
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Imelda
Bethel #3643
5,221 births · Peak 1922
Seraphine #3645
751 births · Peak 2025
Justina #3642
12,240 births · Peak 1990
Afton #3646
5,223 births · Peak 1983
Candace #3641
84,938 births · Peak 1982
Brady #3647
2,138 births · Peak 2021
Delphine #3640
10,448 births · Peak 1958
Amna #3648
1,711 births · Peak 2015
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, 1891–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Imelda: #3644 Girls' Name - 7,476 Births, Peak 1978." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/imelda. 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 Imelda 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.