Inga

♀ Girl

Pronounced ING-ah /ˈɪŋ.ɑ/High

Meaning: From the Old Norse — a short form of names with Ing, 'belonging to/protected by Ing' (Yngvi/Freyr, a Norse god of fertility and peace); we note the deity linkLow

In 30 seconds: Protected by Ing: Inga is Old Norse. Crisp, classic, and warm.

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Origin LowOld Norse

MeaningFrom the Old Norse — a short form of names with Ing, 'belonging to/protected by Ing' (Yngvi/Freyr, a Norse god of fertility and peace); we note the deity link

U.S. rank (2025)#9714 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births10 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1969

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,127

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

Inga comes from the Old Norse — a short form of names with Ing, 'belonging to/protected by Ing' (Yngvi/Freyr, a Norse god of fertility and peace; we note the deity link). A crisp, classic name (said 'ING-ah').

In the U.S. it appears in Scandinavian and German families. Rare, protected-by-Ing at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Inga is a short form of names with Ing — 'belonging to/protected by Ing' (Yngvi/Freyr, a Norse god) — a crisp, classic name (we note the deity link; said 'ING-ah').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Inga — Old Norse; deity link

Variations

IngeIngridInka

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Inga…

Ingrid— a fellow Ing- Norse girls' name

Greta— a sound-neighbor Scandinavian/German girls' name

Olga— echoes that soft -ga sound

Ronnie— another Old Norse name

Gala— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Inga

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Inga mean?

Inga is Old Norse — 'belonging to/protected by Ing' (a Norse god). We note the deity link.

How do you pronounce Inga?

It's said ING-ah /ˈɪŋ.ɑ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Inga a boy or girl name?

Inga is a girl's name.

How popular is Inga?

Inga is a very rare name in the U.S.