Ada

The female first name Ada has several possible origins. It is of biblical origin and comes from ancient Hebrew, where it is interpreted as 'the adorned one by the Lord,' 'the Lord has adorned,' or in some interpretations as 'the beauty.'

What does the name Ada mean?

Ada has various etymological roots. The name is of ancient Hebrew origin and derives from the Hebrew word āḏāh or ʿādā (עָדָה), which means 'to adorn' or 'to decorate.' In the Old Testament/Tanakh, Ada is mentioned as the wife of Esau and the wife of Lamech. The name is also considered a short form of names with the syllable 'Adel-', particularly Adelheid. In this regard, the name means 'the noble one' or 'the distinguished one' and is derived from the Old High German word adal, which means 'noble,' 'distinguished,' or 'of noble descent.' Additionally, Ada is regarded as a variant of Agda, a Danish and Swedish variant of the name Agathe, which means 'the good one,' derived from the ancient Greek agathós (ἀγαθός), meaning 'good.' In colloquial Spanish, Ada translates to 'the fairy,' while in Turkish it means 'the island.' In the Igbo language, spoken in Nigeria, Ada stands for 'daughter,' with the eldest daughter often called 'Ada-obi,' shortened to Adobi. Rarely, Ada is also used as a Yiddish diminutive of Nadjeschda, which was common in Ukraine. Furthermore, Ada can be a South Slavic diminutive of Tada (Thaddeus). Other variants of the name include Aada, Adah, and Adda.

Where does the name Ada come from?

The name Ada has its roots in ancient Hebrew and Old High German, making it a name with the meaning 'the adorned one by the Lord' or 'the noble one.' The ancient Hebrew and Old High German origins are as follows: āḏāh or ʿādā = to adorn, to decorate (Ancient Hebrew) and adal = noble, distinguished, nobility, of noble descent (Old High German) as well as agathós = good (Ancient Greek). The name is used in several languages, including German, English, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, and Hungarian.

How do you pronounce Ada?

The pronunciation of Ada is clear and two-syllable. In German, the name is usually pronounced as 'A-da' [ˈaːda]. It begins with a long A sound that conveys openness. The harmonious repetition of the A sound gives the name a timeless elegance and a clear presence.

When is the name day of Ada?

Ada is celebrated on February 5 and July 28.

Popularity

In Germany, Ada enjoys great popularity as a first name. Currently, it ranks 152nd on the list of the most common names for girls. Ada reached its highest ranking in 2018 at 148th place. Over the last ten years, the name has been given approximately 4,100 times, placing it 164th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 182nd.

Nicknames & pet names

Ad / Adalina / Adchen / Adda / Addel / Addi / Adi / Adi-Ü / Adita / Adschi / Adusch / Adusche / Ädding

Similar first names

Adda

Famous people

• "Ada es gehört sich nicht" (Polish film song from 1930)
• Ada (German minimal house and pop musician from Cologne)
• Ada (Bible) (wife of Lamech)
• Ada Adler (1878–1946), Danish scholar
• Ada Albrecht (Argentinian writer)
• Ada Carrasco (Mexican actress)
• Ada Christen (Austrian writer)
• Ada Clare (American actress)
• Ada Clendenin Williamson (illustrator from the USA)
• Ada Condeescu (actress from Romania)
• Ada Crossley (Australian singer)
• Ada den Haan (swimmer from the Netherlands)
• Ada Falcon (Argentinian actress)
• Ada Hayden (botanist from India)
• Ada Hegerberg (Norwegian footballer)
• Ada Jones (English singer)
• Ada Kok (Dutch swimmer)
• Ada Kramm (Norwegian actress)
• Ada Lee (American musician)
• Ada Leonard (American musician)