Nadia
Say it: NAH-dee-a
GirlMeans hope; also an Arabic name, often explained as "tender"5 letters3 syllables
#273
in Ireland (2025)
#276 with spellings combined
15
babies in 2025
#116
best rank (2010)
977
babies since 1973
Down 125
10-year rank change
Nadia through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #276 |
| 2024 | 9 | #406 |
| 2023 | 8 | #434 |
| 2022 | 17 | #257 |
| 2021 | 18 | #252 |
| 2020 | 18 | #248 |
| 2019 | 28 | #180 |
| 2018 | 27 | #188 |
| 2017 | 33 | #162 |
| 2016 | 30 | #179 |
| 2015 | 39 | #151 |
| 2014 | 44 | #133 |
| 2013 | 37 | #161 |
| 2012 | 50 | #121 |
| 2011 | 39 | #157 |
| 2010 | 58 | #116 |
| 2009 | 50 | #130 |
| 2008 | 48 | #130 |
| 2007 | 25 | #202 |
| 2006 | 13 | #303 |
| 2005 | 9 | #372 |
| 2004 | 17 | #222 |
| 2003 | 24 | #170 |
| 2002 | 17 | #218 |
| 2001 | 13 | #254 |
| 2000 | 14 | #239 |
| 1999 | 13 | #233 |
| 1998 | 16 | #197 |
| 1997 | 14 | #263 |
| 1996 | 12 | #273 |
| 1995 | 14 | #250 |
| 1994 | 18 | #212 |
| 1993 | 20 | #201 |
| 1992 | 11 | #291 |
| 1991 | 12 | #273 |
| 1990 | 12 | #268 |
| 1989 | 10 | #300 |
| 1988 | 16 | #237 |
| 1987 | 21 | #215 |
| 1986 | 10 | #305 |
| 1985 | 17 | #235 |
| 1984 | 5 | #414 |
| 1983 | 6 | #401 |
| 1982 | 7 | #369 |
| 1981 | 8 | #351 |
| 1980 | 9 | #337 |
| 1979 | 11 | #315 |
| 1978 | 3 | #522 |
| 1977 | 5 | #429 |
| 1974 | 3 | #490 |
| 1973 | 4 | #449 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Nadia mean?
Hope; also an Arabic name, often explained as "tender"
Russian pet form of Nadezhda (hope), spelled the French way; also an Arabic name.
Say it right
NAHdeea
Some say NAD-ee-a, with a short a.
The story of Nadia
Nadia began as the French spelling of Nadya, a Russian pet form of Nadezhda. That name means “hope”, and was made to translate the Greek word for hope. Separately, Nadia is also an Arabic name, often explained as “tender”. The two sources meet in one spelling, and the name is now used across Europe and the Middle East.
Its most famous bearer is Nadia Comăneci, the Romanian gymnast who scored the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics at the 1976 Games in Montreal.
Nadia first appears in the CSO records in 1973. It grew slowly for decades, then rose quickly in the late 2000s. Its best year was 2010, with 58 girls in 2010 and a place at number 116. It has eased since, with 15 girls in 2025. In Northern Ireland its best rank was number 122 in 2003.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Nadia (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Nadia
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Nadia | 15 | 977 |
In Northern Ireland
#334 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #122 (2003); 196 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.