Iola
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἴον (íon, “violet”), evoking the flower's symbolism of modesty and beauty.
Every Iola since 1880 — 9,659 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Iola
Iola is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #12,412 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 9,659 American babies have been named Iola. Its peak came in 1918, when 368 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Iola stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Iola year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | #12,412 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,506 |
| 2023 | 9 | #10,652 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10,711 |
| 2021 | 11 | #9,195 |
| 2020 | 11 | #9,178 |
| 2019 | 5 | #16,484 |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | 16 | #7,221 |
| 2016 | 11 | #9,669 |
| 2015 | 11 | #9,735 |
| 2014 | 7 | #13,626 |
| 2013 | 6 | #15,344 |
| 2012 | 7 | #14,053 |
| 2011 | 9 | #11,549 |
| 2010 | 6 | #15,704 |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | 5 | #18,589 |
| 2007 | 7 | #14,487 |
| 2006 | 7 | #14,139 |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 5 | #10,960 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,734 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,591 |
| 1965 | 21 | #2,699 |
| 1960 | 26 | #2,328 |
| 1955 | 45 | #1,523 |
| 1950 | 62 | #1,176 |
| 1945 | 83 | #826 |
| 1940 | 93 | #722 |
| 1935 | 152 | #520 |
| 1930 | 184 | #492 |
| 1925 | 250 | #437 |
| 1920 | 327 | #363 |
| 1915 | 289 | #350 |
| 1910 | 175 | #294 |
| 1905 | 80 | #378 |
| 1900 | 71 | #393 |
| 1895 | 48 | #405 |
| 1890 | 30 | #479 |
| 1885 | 20 | #475 |
| 1880 | 15 | #439 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Iola mean?
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἴον (íon, “violet”), evoking the flower's symbolism of modesty and beauty.
How popular is the name Iola in 2025?
Iola ranked #12,412 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Iola?
9,659 babies have been named Iola in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Iola most popular?
Iola peaked in 1918, when 368 newborns received the name.
Is Iola a boy or girl name?
Iola is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Iola rising or falling?
Iola has been roughly stable over the past decade.