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Name Lineage

    The first name Inga

    A girl’s name from Norse.

    Pronounced /ˈɪŋɡə/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Norse origin

    From Danish, Norwegian, Swedish Inga etc., all from Old Norse Inga.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Inga last appeared in the official list in 2022, given to 8 girls. It peaked in 2015, with 14 births (#1,961).

    01020 1996200020052010201520202025
    142
    babies named Inga, 1996–2025
    #2,888
    rank in 2022
    2015
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Inga with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Inga at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 10 girls born in the United States were named Inga, the 9,714th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1969, when 115 were.

    0100200 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    4,127
    babies named Inga since 1880
    #9,714
    rank in 2025
    1969
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Inga

    9 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Inga Swenson
      American actress (1932–2023)
    • Inga Gentzel
      Athletics competitor (1908–1991)
    • Inga Nielsen
      Danish opera soprano (1946-2008)
    • Inga Abel
      German actress (1946-2000)
    • Inga Thompson
      American racing cyclist, born 1964
    • Inga Charkhalashvili
      Georgian chess player, born 1983
    • Inga Schneider
      German biathlete, born 1956
    • Inga Čilvinaitė
      Cyclist, born 1986
    • Inga Busch
      German actress, born 1968

    More Norse girls’ names

    All 32 names of Norse origin

    Questions

    What does the name Inga mean?
    From Danish, Norwegian, Swedish Inga etc., all from Old Norse Inga.
    What is the origin of the name Inga?
    From Danish, Norwegian, Swedish Inga etc., all from Old Norse Inga.
    How popular is the name Inga?
    In 2022, 8 girls born in England and Wales were named Inga, ranking 2,888th. Its peak was 2015, with 14 births.
    Is Inga a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 4,127 US babies named Inga since 1880 were girls.
    When was Inga most popular?
    1969 in the United States, when 115 babies were named Inga, its highest rank at 1,012th.
    How do you pronounce Inga?
    Inga is /ˈɪŋɡə/, 2 syllables.
    Is Inga also a surname?
    Yes. Inga is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.