Heidi is a female given name of German origin. It is derived from the Old German word "heid" which means "noble" or "of noble birth." The name Heidi is often associated with the popular children's book "Heidi" written by Swiss author Johanna Spyri in 1880. However, the character Heidi in the book was inspired by a real-life girl named Heidi Keller who lived in the Swiss Alps and was known for her adventurous spirit and close connection to nature. The name Heidi gained significant popularity following the publication of the book and has since become a beloved classic in children's literature. In recent years, it has also been popularized as a given name for girls due to its charming and unique sound.
The name Heidi has a fascinating history of popularity in the United States over the past century, as evidenced by these statistics.
From 1929 to 1931, the number of girls named Heidi at birth was quite low, with only 8 births per year. However, starting from 1934, there was a noticeable increase in popularity, reaching 50 births in 1938 and peaking at 70 births in 1942.
The post-World War II era brought an even greater surge in the name's popularity. Between 1946 and 1958, Heidi was among the top 20 girls' names annually, with a peak of nearly 2,000 births per year in 1958.
The late 1950s and early 1960s saw continued popularity for Heidi, with over 2,300 births each year from 1960 to 1964. This trend continued until the mid-1970s, with a gradual decline in popularity thereafter.
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, Heidi had fallen out of favor, with fewer than 1,500 births per year recorded between 1986 and 1994. However, there was a slight resurgence in popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with over 900 births per year from 1999 to 2005.
Since then, Heidi has maintained steady but modest popularity in the United States. Between 2006 and 2023, there have been between 855 and 1,167 births each year for girls named Heidi.
In total, over the past century, more than 147,516 American baby girls have been named Heidi at birth, demonstrating its enduring appeal as a popular choice among parents.