Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1966

Inger

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

Inger is a Scandinavian given feminine name, originally short for a name in Ing-, either Ingrid or Ingegerd.Inger Ottesdotter Rømer, Norwegian landowner and political…

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Inger
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1966
118 babies
All-time total
1,372
#6,058 all-time among girls
First recorded
1888
in Social Security records

Inger popularity over time

1,372 babies have been named Inger since 1888, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1966Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s 10 1 – #1,371
1890s 47 5 +370% #1,140
1900s 10 1 -79% #1,904
1910s 66 7 +560% #2,432
1920s 53 5 -20% #3,220
1930s 30 3 -43% #3,658
1940s 23 2 -23% #4,239
1950s 106 11 +361% #2,072
1960s 627 63 +492% #932
1970s 342 34 -45% #1,374
1980s 58 6 -83% #4,393
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Inger

Inger is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1888, 1,372 American babies have been named Inger. Its peak came in 1966, when 118 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Inger stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Inger?

The median living Inger is about 58 years old; half are between 54 and 61. An estimated 1,100 people named Inger are alive in the United States today.

median 58 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Inger year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 9 #7,165
1980 17 #4,393
1975 27 #2,763
1970 76 #1,374
1965 101 #1,046
1960 25 #2,398
1955 7 #4,907
1950 – –
1945 6 #4,239
1940 – –
1935 5 #4,500
1930 6 #4,270
1925 10 #3,220
1920 – –
1915 6 #3,993
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 7 #1,357
1890 7 #1,140
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Inger

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Inger Stevens Inger Stevens Swedish and American actress (1934–1970) Contemporary
  2. 2 Inger Nilsson Inger Nilsson Swedish actress and singer (born 1959) Contemporary
  3. 3 Inger Christensen Inger Christensen Danish poet, novelist, essayist, editor (1935–2009) Contemporary
  4. 4 Inger Miller American sprinter b. 1972 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Inger Hagerup Inger Hagerup Norwegian author, playwright and poet (1905–1985) Contemporary
  6. 6 Inger Berggren Inger Berggren Swedish singer (1934–2019) Contemporary
  7. 7 Inger Jacobsen Inger Jacobsen Musical artist 1923–1996 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Inger, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Inger?

The median living Inger is about 58 years old. Half of all living Ingers are between 54 and 61 years old.

How many people named Inger are alive today?

An estimated 1,100 people named Inger are alive in the United States, based on 1,372 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Inger mean?

Inger is a Scandinavian given feminine name, originally short for a name in Ing-, either Ingrid or Ingegerd.Inger Ottesdotter Rømer, Norwegian landowner and political intriguer Aud Inger Aure (1942–2023), Norwegian politician Inger Ash…

How popular is the name Inger in 2025?

Inger did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Inger?

1,372 babies have been named Inger in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Inger most popular?

Inger peaked in 1966, when 118 newborns received the name.

Is Inger a boy or girl name?

Inger is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Inger rising or falling?

Inger has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Inger?

Well-known people named Inger include Inger Stevens (actor), Inger Nilsson (actor), Inger Christensen (writer).

Names like Inger

Names that sound and feel close to Inger: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Inger with similar names → More names starting with I →