Declining since 2016, #11,932 for girls today.
Popularity of Iola since 1880
Babies named Iola per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1918, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Iola's real moment was 1907.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 233 |
| 1890s | 471 |
| 1900s | 953 |
| 1910s | 2,525 |
| 1920s | 2,546 |
| 1930s | 1,367 |
| 1940s | 692 |
| 1950s | 437 |
| 1960s | 164 |
| 1970s | 79 |
| 1980s | 40 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 19 |
| 2010s | 78 |
| 2020s | 55 |
Meaning & origin
Iola is a delicate, vintage name that peaked in popularity in 1907, when it was at its highest rank. Since then, its usage has steadily declined, and it is now exceedingly rare, with only 1 in 229,610 babies receiving the name in 2025. The trajectory shows a falling trend since 2016, placing it among the many charming but overlooked names of the early 1900s. Its connection to the Greek words for 'violet' and 'dawn' gives it a gentle, poetic quality.
Iola is generally considered a variant of Ione, from the Greek 'ion' meaning 'violet'. It may also be derived from the Greek word 'eos' meaning 'dawn'. The name saw moderate use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States.
Where Iola 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.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: I, Ola
Sibling names for Iola
Names that share Iola's style, for a brother or sister.
