Rising since 2019, #7,885 for girls today.
Popularity of Yalda since 1982
Babies named Yalda per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 17 |
| 1990s | 28 |
| 2000s | 6 |
| 2010s | 24 |
| 2020s | 56 |
Meaning & origin
Yalda, ranking 7,885th in the United States in 2025, remains a rare but culturally rich name. It entered U.S. records in 1982 and has been rising gradually since 2019, reaching its peak popularity in 2023. While not widely used, its connection to the ancient Persian winter solstice festival Shab-e Yalda gives it deep resonance for families honoring Iranian heritage. The name's growing trajectory reflects a broader trend of interest in culturally meaningful names.
Yalda is a Persian word meaning 'birth' or 'night of birth,' drawn from Syriac yaldā (ܝܠܕܐ). In Persian tradition, Shab-e Yalda (the night of Yalda) marks the winter solstice, a festival of light and rebirth celebrated since ancient times. Though historically a cultural term, Yalda has been used as a given name in Iran and the diaspora, particularly from the late 20th century onward.
“Yalda” around the world
Where Yalda lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Yali, Dada
Sibling names for Yalda
Names that share Yalda's style, for a brother or sister.
