The first name Iola
A girl’s name from Greek meaning “violet”.
3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Iola means “violet” in Greek.
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἴον (íon, “violet”), evoking the flower's symbolism of modesty and beauty.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 4 girls were named Iola, making it the 4,867th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2011, with 16 births (#1,729).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Iola with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Iola at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 7 girls born in the United States were named Iola, the 12,412th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 368 were.
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.
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Iola mean?
- Iola means “violet” in Greek.
- What is the origin of the name Iola?
- Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἴον (íon, “violet”), evoking the flower's symbolism of modesty and beauty.
- How popular is the name Iola?
- In 2025, 4 girls born in England and Wales were named Iola, ranking 4,867th. Its peak was 2011, with 16 births.
- Is Iola a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 9,659 US babies named Iola since 1880 were girls.
- When was Iola most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 368 babies were named Iola, its highest rank at 339th.