Ida - Name Meaning and Popularity -

Meaning of Ida

Ida—EE-dah in German, EYE-duh in English—springs from the Old High German element “id,” meaning “industry” or “labor,” an etymology that lends the name a quietly diligent air. Mythology and literature, however, keep it from sounding like a time-clock: Mount Ida cradled the infant Zeus, while the Norse goddess Iðunn guarded apples of eternal youth, and Tennyson gave the name scholarly heft in “The Princess.” Stateside, Ida peaked just after 1900, faded to the fringes mid-century, and has lately hovered around the 700s—a numerical hum that hints at a slow but steady revival. Factor in trailblazing actress-director Ida Lupino and the name’s spelling-bee simplicity, and the result is a compact classic that balances no-nonsense efficiency with a discreet mythic shimmer.