Given name & surname
Heidi
“of the nobility; serene; of good humor”
In German use, Heidi carries the interpretation “of the nobility; serene; of good humor.”
Original GermanAdelheid
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Heidi carries the interpretation “of the nobility; serene; of good humor.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
Heidi is used as a form of Adelaide.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1929. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Heidi is a form of Adelaide. The history of Adelaide gives this family its wider story. Adelaide’s historical associations include the wife of King William IV.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Heidi through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 149,687
- 361 boys · 149,326 girls
- Most popular year
- 1972
- 4,741 babies
- 2025
- 894
- #340 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- 0%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 894 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 340 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 0.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 4,723 in 1972. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (105). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 137,519 as a first name in 2020; a sample rank of No. 72,082 among surnames in 1990.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Heidi’s family of names
In German usage, Heidi is a diminutive of Adelheid. Heidi has a related form in Heidy. Heidi is a form of Adelaide.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Heidi has relatives in 6 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
Germanwhere Heidi comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 15
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Heidi
- Heidi KlumGerman-American model, television personality and businesswomanborn 1973
- Heidi WengNorwegian cross-country skier and fell runner (1991-)
- Jennifer RushAmerican pop singerborn 1960
- Heidi BrühlGerman singer and actress (1942–1991)
- Heidi LøkeNorwegian female handball playerborn 1982
- Heidi ReichinnekGerman politicianborn 1988
- Heidi Heitkampformer United States Senator from North Dakotaborn 1955
- Heidi RangeBritish pop singerborn 1983
- Heidi HautalaFinnish politicianborn 1955
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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