UK name, mostly girls
Ada
A feminine name derived from the Ancient Germanic root meaning "nobility" or "nobility of birth".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ada is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Ada popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #40, with 1,049 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 1,140 births.
This profile covers 9,419 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 92% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 10,371 living people in the UK are called Ada. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ada ranked #40 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 1,049 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 1,140 girls were registered as Ada.
- • Ada ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #44 in 2024.
- • About 10,371 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ada as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.7% of Ada registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#40
2024
Births in 2024
1,049
Latest year
Peak year
2020
1,140 births
Estimated living
10,371
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Ada
In England and Wales birth records, Ada has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 0.3% of registrations are for boys and 99.7% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Ada registered for boys
- Ranked #4,789 in 2021
- 3 boys registered in 2021
- Peak: 2008 (6 births)
Ada registered for girls
- Ranked #40 in 2024
- 1,049 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (1,140 births)
Meaning
What does Ada mean?
The name Ada is a Germanic name with roots dating back to the 8th century. It is derived from the German word "adal" or "athal," meaning "noble." The name was popular among the Teutonic tribes and was later adopted by other cultures and languages.
In ancient times, the name Ada appeared in various forms, such as Adala, Adele, and Adalheidis. It was a common name among the nobility and aristocracy of medieval Europe. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Frankish royal family, where Adalheidis was the name of a daughter of Pepin the Short, the father of Charlemagne.
The name Ada gained widespread recognition in the 19th century, thanks to the famous English mathematician and writer Ada Lovelace (1815-1852). She is considered the world's first computer programmer for her work on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. Her contributions to computer science and her pioneering spirit have made her a role model for women in STEM fields.
Another notable figure with the name Ada was Ada Isaacs Menken (1835-1868), an American actress, painter, and poet. She was known for her unconventional lifestyle and was one of the first actresses to appear nude on stage.
In literature, the name Ada appears in several works, including Jane Austen's novel "Sense and Sensibility" (1811), where Ada is the name of a character. The name is also featured in Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle" (1969), where it is the name of the main character.
Other famous Adas throughout history include Ada Comstock (1876-1973), an American educator and the first full-time president of Radcliffe College; Ada Rehan (1857-1916), an American actress known for her performances in Shakespeare's plays; and Ada Blackjack (1898-1983), an Inuit woman who survived for two years on a remote Arctic island after her expedition was abandoned.
Overall, the name Ada has a long and rich history, spanning various cultures and time periods. Its association with nobility, intelligence, and strength has made it a popular choice for parents seeking a name with a powerful and inspiring legacy.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ada over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Ada in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ada, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 1,049 births in 2024, compared with 1,140 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ada by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ada was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #39 | 5,474 | 5 |
| 2010s | #236 | 3,653 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1299 | 265 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2389 | 27 | 4 |
Geography
Where Ada is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ada. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Ada ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #44 in 2024.
Across the UK
Ada in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#44 in 2024
17 years of NRS records, 694 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#47 in 2024
11 years of NISRA records, 302 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Ada
-
Ada Smith
artistic gymnast
British artistic gymnast (1903-1994)
1903-1994
-
Ada Smith
poet
English poet
1875-1898
-
Ada Schnee
actor; writer
German author of British origin (1872–1969)
1873-1969
-
Ada Salter
political activist
British socialist & pacifist (1866–1942)
1866-1942
-
Ada Vachell
activist
Welsh worker for disabled people
1866-1923
-
Ada Wells
teacher; politician; suffragette
New Zealand suffragette (1863-1933)
1863-1933
-
Ada Summers
justice of the peace
British local politician and justice of the peace (1862–1944)
1862-1944
-
Ada Wright
social worker; suffragette
British suffragette (1862-1939)
1861-1939
Related
Names similar to Ada
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Ada: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ada in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 for girls in England and Wales, with 1,049 births registered.
When was Ada most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 1,140 babies registered as Ada in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ada?
A feminine name derived from the Ancient Germanic root meaning "nobility" or "nobility of birth".
How many people are called Ada in the UK?
A total of 9,419 babies have been registered as Ada across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 694 more in Scotland and 302 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Ada most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Ada ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #44 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.