A 1920s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Ramona since 1881
Babies named Ramona per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 55 |
| 1890s | 232 |
| 1900s | 491 |
| 1910s | 2,207 |
| 1920s | 7,680 |
| 1930s | 10,118 |
| 1940s | 7,803 |
| 1950s | 14,650 |
| 1960s | 12,926 |
| 1970s | 5,784 |
| 1980s | 2,351 |
| 1990s | 1,115 |
| 2000s | 881 |
| 2010s | 2,432 |
| 2020s | 2,149 |
Meaning & origin
Ramona's popularity story is one of revival. First recorded in the U.S. in 1881, it reached its peak in 1928, then gradually declined. Since 2003, however, it has been rising steadily, likely fueled by vintage name trends. In 2025, it ranked 733rd, with a 1-in-4,309 frequency. The name has particular resonance in New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin, the top states for Ramona. Its literary association with Helen Hunt Jackson's 1884 novel gave it a lasting, if fluctuating, presence in American naming.
Ramona is a feminine form of the Spanish and Portuguese name Ramón, which itself derives from the Germanic name Raginmund, composed of the elements ragin (advice, counsel) and mund (protector). The name was popularized in the English-speaking world by Helen Hunt Jackson's 1884 novel 'Ramona', which brought attention to the name in the United States.
Where Ramona 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: Mona, Romy, Rae
Sibling names for Ramona
Names that share Ramona's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Rosa, Stella, Carmen, Dolores, Louisa, Jolene, Markita, Pauletta, Remona, Romona, Tonda, Adonna, Donnita, Isidra, Montoya, Prisilla, Ramonia, Remonia, Senaida, Senora, Vonita, Lamona, Radonna, Ramonda, Rogina, Samona, Tineka, Batina, Bernarda, Ralonda, Ramanda, Romanda, Romonda, Romonia
Brothers: Ramon, Matteo, Julian, Felix, Oscar, Hendrix, Alonza, Jerardo, Raynaldo, Silvestre, Raymone, Ronel, Delrico, Nabor, Norville, Ronold
Names like Ramona
Names whose popularity has moved with Ramona's over the last 50 years.
