Imelda
Girl name · #4273 in 2025 · Uniqueness 83/100
In 2025, 33 baby girls were named Imelda, placing it at #4273 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #6452, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 girls born in 2025 was named Imelda.
The 134-year story
Imelda first appears in the Social Security records in 1891, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1978, when 149 girls were named Imelda — good for #947 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Imelda per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Imelda against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Imelda in class?
Imelda scores 83 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Imelda will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Imelda is most common
State-level data for Imelda is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Imelda
Statistically, parents drawn to Imelda tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Griselda, Keysha, Starla, Melisa, and Jacinta.
GriseldaKeyshaStarlaMelisaJacintaTrishaSalinaMirna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Imelda | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #4265 |
| 2024 | 42 | #3639 |
| 2023 | 32 | #4363 |
| 2022 | 33 | #4295 |
| 2021 | 39 | #3801 |
| 2020 | 41 | #3607 |
| 2019 | 30 | #4546 |
| 2018 | 38 | #3853 |
| 2017 | 32 | #4384 |
| 2016 | 35 | #4157 |
| 2015 | 19 | #6452 |
| 2014 | 24 | #5456 |
| 2013 | 27 | #5013 |
| 2012 | 33 | #4387 |
| 2011 | 23 | #5728 |
| 2010 | 25 | #5414 |
| 2009 | 35 | #4269 |
| 2008 | 41 | #3859 |
| 2007 | 49 | #3376 |
| 2006 | 58 | #2940 |
| 2005 | 55 | #2935 |
| 2004 | 50 | #3071 |
| 2003 | 55 | #2800 |
| 2002 | 42 | #3283 |
| 2001 | 68 | #2331 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Imelda a popular girl name?
Imelda ranked #4273 among girls in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6452.
When was the name Imelda most popular?
Imelda peaked in 1978, when 149 American girls received the name (ranked #947 that year). Since 1978 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Imelda?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American girls was named Imelda. It scores 83/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.