Emma Girl
EH-muh
“whole, universal” · Germanic
#3
Adah
GirlHebrew· “adornment”
- Meaning
- adornment
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Pronunciation
- AY-duh
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #1,818
- US babies 2025
- 110
- Best rank
- #277 (1883)
- Peak year
- 2020
Meaning and origin of Adah
Adah is a Hebrew name that means “adornment”.
Adah is a Hebrew name meaning "adornment" or "ornament." Two women in Genesis bear the name: the wife of Lamech, one of the earliest named women in the Bible, and a wife of Esau. It was used by Puritan families and later in nineteenth-century America. The actress and poet Adah Isaacs Menken was a famous nineteenth-century bearer. It is pronounced AY-duh, the same as Ada. The name has a soft, vintage charm, and it is related to Ada and Adina. Addie is a sweet nickname for everyday use.
Popularity over time
Adah has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 38 different years. Its best national rank was #277 in 1883, and the most babies received it in 2020, when 121 were named Adah. In 2025, 110 babies were named Adah, and it ranked #1,818 nationally. Its use has been fairly steady over the past decade.
Its national rank moved from #1,171 in 1920, #2,909 in 1950, #7,418 in 1980, #9,168 in 2000, #2,427 in 2010, and #1,818 in 2025. Of the 4,123 US girls named Adah since records began, 20% were born in the 2010s, its biggest decade. The 2020s come next, with 586 babies.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Annalia, Blakelee, Samaira, Saira, and Taelynn.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Adah ranked highest in Minnesota, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | #731 | 6 |
| Tennessee | #1129 | 5 |
| North Carolina | #1139 | 7 |
| Georgia | #1213 | 7 |
| Illinois | #1407 | 5 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Adah is usually pronounced AY-duh, with two syllables. It has four letters, starts with A and ends in “-ah”.
Middle names for Adah
A few middle names that flow with Adah: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Adah
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Lists that include Adah
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Adah mean?
Adah is a Hebrew name that means “adornment”.
What is the origin of the name Adah?
Adah has Hebrew roots. Adah is a Hebrew name meaning "adornment" or "ornament." Two women in Genesis bear the name: the wife of Lamech, one of the earliest named women in the Bible, and a wife of Esau.
Is Adah a popular name?
Not especially. Adah ranked #1,818 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Adah a boy or girl name?
Adah is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Adah?
Adah is usually pronounced AY-duh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings