Total births
12,759
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.
- 12,759
- total births
- 1880–2022
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that 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.
- 12,759 total births
- 1880–2022 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 29% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
12,759 girls have been named Wilda since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2022.
- 12,759
- total births
- 1880–2022
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Wilda was born in this single decade.
1926
Single peak year
411 babies were named Wilda in 1926 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2022Peak year
1926
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
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% |
West Virginia share of Wilda's total US births 8.3%
Even split
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? ▼
Wilda has been given to 12,759 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2022. 411 babies were born in 1926, its single highest year.
When was Wilda most popular? ▼
Wilda was most popular in the 1920s decade with 3,643 total births. The single peak year was 1926.
Where is Wilda most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wilda are West Virginia (1,064 births), Pennsylvania (895 births), Ohio (870 births).
How long has the name Wilda been used? ▼
Records for Wilda go back to 1880, giving 143 years of history through 2022.
What names are similar to Wilda? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Willie, Wilma, Willow, Willa, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
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
- 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 Wilda
Nearby Names Like Wilda
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wilda
Willie Girl
#13478 146,197 births
Wilma Girl
#3967 140,101 births
Willow Girl
#41 65,095 births
Willa Girl
#423 32,824 births
William Girl
#10275 16,029 births
Compare Wilda side by side: Wilda vs Willie Wilda vs Wilma Wilda vs Willow
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Cari #5832
12,757 births · Peak 1976
Carey #15308
12,741 births · Peak 1975
Kailani #277
12,778 births · Peak 2022
Tamia #3090
12,782 births · Peak 2004
Kacie #1773
12,782 births · Peak 1998
Damaris #1429
12,734 births · Peak 2006
Tameka
12,731 births · Peak 1977
Georgie #1591
12,799 births · Peak 1925
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, 1880–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Wilda: Baby Name Since 1880 - 12,759 Births, Peak 1926." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wilda. 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 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 June 2026.