The name Kida first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 2002:
- 2004: 10 baby girls named Kida
- 2003: 10 baby girls named Kida
- 2002: 5 baby girls named Kida [debut]
- 2001: unlisted
- 2000: unlisted
Where did it come from?
A character in the animated Disney movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire, which was released in June of 2001.
Atlantis was a Jules Verne-inspired adventure film set in the mid-1910s. It followed Smithsonian linguist Milo Thatch (voiced by Michael J. Fox) as he led an underwater expedition to find the legendary kingdom of Atlantis.
Upon arriving, Milo encountered an Atlantean princess named Kidagakash “Kida” Nedakh (voiced by Cree Summer). Kida hoped that Milo could help her revive the kingdom, which had “fallen into apathy and disrepair” since sinking into the ocean thousands of years earlier.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire did not feature singing, dancing, or cute sidekicks — unlike many of Disney’s animated films of the previous decade (e.g., Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King). Perhaps because of this, it was not a big hit at the box office.
But it clearly had a small influence on expectant parents. And it may have affected the name Milo as well, though it’s hard to tell by the data.
What are your thoughts on the name Kida?
Sources: Atlantis: The Lost Empire – Wikipedia, Atlantis: The Lost Empire review – Roger Ebert, SSA
Image: Screenshot of Atlantis: The Lost Empire