Girls' name · since 1880
Wilda
Wilda has 12,759 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1926 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1,439 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 12,759
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
12,759 girls have been named Wilda since 1880, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Wilda has been recorded 12,759 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 2022.
- #1,439 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 12,759 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Wilda ranks #1,439 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 12,759 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1,439 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 12,759
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Wilda's 12,759 recorded births place it above 98.01% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
33 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by West Virginia.
Wilda's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Wilda's SSA record in two at 1940 and the more recent half accounts for 27% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 73%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1987, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1926 peak of 411, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Wilda popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2022
- Peak year (1926)
- 411
- Annual births at peak, across 143 years of records
Wilda popularity over time - boys
15 total births recorded since 1917 (Wilda as boys' name)
Wilda by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (3,643 births, 29% of the file).
1920s was Wilda's strongest decade.
3,643 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Wilda births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 123
1880s
123 births
- 1890s 309
1890s
309 births
- 1900s 534
1900s
534 births
- 1910s
1910s
2,101 births
- 1920s
1920s
3,643 births
- 1930s
1930s
2,619 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,699 births
- 1950s 993
1950s
993 births
- 1960s 431
1960s
431 births
- 1970s 154
1970s
154 births
- 1980s 82
1980s
82 births
- 1990s 52
1990s
52 births
- 2000s 6
2000s
6 births
- 2010s 8
2010s
8 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 3,643 births (29% of all-time use).
How Wilda 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 Wilda's total volume
Wilda by state
Where Wilda concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | West Virginia | | 1,064 | 8.3% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 895 | 7.0% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 870 | 6.8% |
| #4 | Louisiana | | 667 | 5.2% |
| #5 | Texas | | 594 | 4.7% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 538 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Oklahoma | | 427 | 3.3% |
| #8 | Kentucky | | 390 | 3.1% |
1,064 of 12,759 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 33 reporting states.
Wilda appears in 33 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wilda? ▼
Where does Wilda sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Wilda most popular? ▼
Where is Wilda most popular? ▼
How long has the name Wilda been used? ▼
What names are similar to Wilda? ▼
What to do with Wilda's data
- Wilda's decade-level peak was the 1920s (3,643 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- West Virginia records the most Wildas (1,064 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. West Virginia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Wilda
Nearby Names Like Wilda
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wilda
Compare Wilda side by side: Wilda vs Willie Wilda vs Wilma Wilda vs Willow
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Wilda: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1926)
Similar record span (~142 yrs)
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, 1880–2022 (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 Wilda 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.