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Ilka
How to Pronounce Ilka
Pronounced IL-kuh /ΛΙͺl.kΙ/Medium
Meaning: Ilka is a Hungarian and German diminutive of Ilona, the Hungarian form of Helen, from the Greek Helene, often linked to helios, 'light,' or a torch.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Ilka is a Hungarian and German pet form of Ilona, itself the Hungarian Helen, from the Greek Helene, associated with 'light' or a bright torch. It came into American use with Central European heritage and reads as a crisp two-beat name.
It was never common in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year around its peak near nineteen-seventy, mostly in families of Hungarian or German background. A girl named Ilka then is in her fifties today.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Ilka mean?
It is a Hungarian and German pet form of Ilona or Helen, tied to the Greek sense of 'light' or a torch.
How do you pronounce Ilka?
It is said IL-kuh /ΛΙͺl.kΙ/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Ilka a boy or girl name?
Ilka is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Ilka?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year around its peak near the start of the nineteen-seventies.