Heide

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Heide

Pronounced HY-duh /ˈhaɪ.də/High

Meaning: Heide is a German name, a variant of Heidi — itself a pet form of Adelheid (Adelaide), from Germanic adal ('noble') and heid ('kind, sort, type') — 'of a noble kind.' Heide also means 'heath' as a German word, adding a nature echo.Medium

In 30 seconds: Heide is a German form of Heidi, from Adelheid, 'noble kind' (said 'HY-duh') — with a 'heath' echo.

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Origin MediumGerman

MeaningHeide is a German name, a variant of Heidi — itself a pet form of Adelheid (Adelaide), from Germanic adal ('noble') and heid ('kind, sort, type') — 'of a noble kind.' Heide also means 'heath' as a German word, adding a nature echo.

U.S. rank (2021)#16132 ↘ Falling

2021 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1968

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,103

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Heide is a German name, a form of Heidi that shortens Adelheid (the German Adelaide), from adal, 'noble,' and heid, 'kind, sort' — 'of noble kind.' As a common German noun it also means 'heath.' Johanna Spyri's beloved Heidi kept the family of names visible; Heide appeared in U.S. records from around 1948 and peaked in 1968. The spelling can mislead English readers, so the 'HY-duh' guide matters.

A woman named Heide at its late-sixties peak is now in her mid-fifties. The name has an alpine, storybook warmth thanks to Heidi; it stayed rare in this spelling, giving it a European flavor, and it sits beside Heidi, Adelaide and Greta. It reads as a mid-century import rather than a current trend, with a gentle noble meaning.

Did you know? Heide carries a double sense in German: it is the short form of noble Adelheid, and it is also the everyday word for a heath or moorland.

Overall data confidence 68%

References — Heide — German form of Heidi/Adelheid ('noble kind'); also 'heath'

Variations

HeidiHaideHeidy

Nicknames

HeidiHei

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Heide…

Heidi— the familiar form Heide varies

Adelaide— the full name behind the Heidi short form

Greta— a like German short girls' name

Liesl— a same-feel Germanic storybook name

Explore names like Heide

By themegerman noble 1960s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Heide mean?

Heide is a German variant of Heidi, from Adelheid (Adelaide), meaning 'noble kind.'

How do you pronounce Heide?

It's said HY-duh /ˈhaɪ.də/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Heide a boy or girl name?

Heide is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Heide?

Heide was an uncommon mid-century German import that crested in the late nineteen-sixties.