Holding steady.
Popularity of Meda since 1880
Babies named Meda per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1915, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Meda's real moment was 1880.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 178 |
| 1890s | 235 |
| 1900s | 208 |
| 1910s | 343 |
| 1920s | 320 |
| 1930s | 192 |
| 1940s | 143 |
| 1950s | 123 |
| 1960s | 67 |
| 1970s | 34 |
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 17 |
| 2010s | 16 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Meda is a rare and enigmatic name with potential roots in both Polish and Irish traditions. According to Social Security data, Meda first appeared in the U.S. in 1880, the earliest year of record, and that same year marked its peak usage, though it never reached the top 1000. The name's trajectory is described as stable, meaning it has persisted in very small numbers without significant growth or decline. While its one-in-N ratio is not available, the overall data suggests Meda has always been an uncommon choice. Its top states list is empty, indicating that it has never been concentrated in any particular region. Parents today might be drawn to its simplicity and cross-cultural ambiguity, but its obscurity means it carries little modern recognition.
Meda has multiple possible origins. In Polish, it is traditionally a diminutive of names such as Medarda or Medea, both of which have Greek roots (Medea meaning 'cunning' or 'to rule'). In Irish, Meda is sometimes considered a variant of Meadhbh (or Maeve), derived from the Gaelic word 'meadh' meaning 'mead' or 'drink', thus 'she who intoxicates'. The name has seen sporadic use in the United States since the 1880s, but its exact etymology remains debated.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Meada, Meadha
Sibling names for Meda
Names that share Meda's style, for a brother or sister.
