Holding steady, #11,932 for girls today.
Popularity of Ima since 1886
Babies named Ima per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 30 |
| 1890s | 264 |
| 1900s | 400 |
| 1910s | 988 |
| 1920s | 1,939 |
| 1930s | 1,817 |
| 1940s | 827 |
| 1950s | 302 |
| 1960s | 114 |
| 1970s | 42 |
| 1980s | 30 |
| 1990s | 7 |
| 2000s | 13 |
| 2010s | 20 |
| 2020s | 13 |
Meaning & origin
Ima is a rare Japanese name meaning 'now', first recorded in U.S. data in 1886. While never common, it saw its highest use around 1932, ranking 11,932 in 2025. With about 1 in 229,610 babies receiving the name, it remains a distinctive choice. The name's stable trajectory over the decades suggests consistent but minimal usage, often within Japanese-American communities.
Ima may be a Japanese name derived from the word 今 (ima) meaning 'now' or 'the present'. It is also occasionally used as a diminutive or variant of names like Imogene or Iman, but its use in the United States largely stems from Japanese immigrant families.
Where Ima is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Ima” around the world
Where Ima lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Ima
Names that share Ima's style, for a brother or sister.
