Iona
Probably a misreading of Latin Ioua, an attempt to Latinize Old Irish Í.
Every Iona since 1880 — 12,261 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Iona
Iona is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,667 in 2025 with 65 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 12,261 American babies have been named Iona. Its peak came in 1918, when 404 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 Iona stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Iona year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | #2,667 | — | — |
| 2024 | 61 | #2,786 | 5 | #13,026 |
| 2023 | 56 | #2,994 | — | — |
| 2022 | 76 | #2,416 | — | — |
| 2021 | 66 | #2,618 | — | — |
| 2020 | 52 | #3,074 | — | — |
| 2019 | 73 | #2,441 | — | — |
| 2018 | 68 | #2,571 | — | — |
| 2017 | 49 | #3,271 | — | — |
| 2016 | 59 | #2,878 | — | — |
| 2015 | 65 | #2,724 | — | — |
| 2014 | 59 | #2,901 | — | — |
| 2013 | 45 | #3,491 | — | — |
| 2012 | 42 | #3,741 | — | — |
| 2011 | 39 | #3,870 | — | — |
| 2010 | 44 | #3,591 | — | — |
| 2009 | 36 | #4,222 | — | — |
| 2008 | 30 | #4,941 | 5 | #13,292 |
| 2007 | 33 | #4,506 | — | — |
| 2006 | 39 | #3,879 | — | — |
| 2005 | 28 | #4,753 | — | — |
| 2004 | 35 | #4,035 | — | — |
| 2003 | 23 | #5,299 | — | — |
| 2002 | 22 | #5,331 | — | — |
| 2001 | 33 | #3,894 | — | — |
| 2000 | 26 | #4,578 | — | — |
| 1995 | 5 | #14,269 | — | — |
| 1990 | 8 | #9,582 | — | — |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,167 | — | — |
| 1980 | 15 | #4,812 | — | — |
| 1975 | 19 | #3,552 | — | — |
| 1970 | 24 | #2,881 | — | — |
| 1965 | 26 | #2,368 | — | — |
| 1960 | 37 | #1,864 | — | — |
| 1955 | 71 | #1,190 | — | — |
| 1950 | 71 | #1,095 | — | — |
| 1945 | 80 | #845 | — | — |
| 1940 | 97 | #710 | — | — |
| 1935 | 162 | #499 | — | — |
| 1930 | 232 | #443 | — | — |
| 1925 | 294 | #399 | — | — |
| 1920 | 374 | #338 | — | — |
| 1915 | 270 | #364 | — | — |
| 1910 | 124 | #356 | — | — |
| 1905 | 88 | #359 | — | — |
| 1900 | 83 | #370 | — | — |
| 1895 | 50 | #400 | — | — |
| 1890 | 37 | #418 | — | — |
| 1885 | 23 | #442 | — | — |
| 1880 | 18 | #395 | — | — |
Famous people named Iona
- Iona Yakir Military personnel · 1896–1937
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Iona mean?
Probably a misreading of Latin Ioua, an attempt to Latinize Old Irish Í.
How popular is the name Iona in 2025?
Iona ranked #2,667 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 65 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Iona?
12,261 babies have been named Iona in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Iona most popular?
Iona peaked in 1918, when 404 newborns received the name.
Is Iona a boy or girl name?
Iona is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Iona rising or falling?
Iona is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Iona?
Well-known people named Iona include Iona Yakir (military personnel).