Aida is a melodic name largely associated with the title character of the 1871 Verdi opera, an enslaved Ethiopian princess who dies to save her people. In the past, her name was rarely heard outside the Latino community, but in the current time of love for all A-starting girls' names, this could very well change.
Aida did have a period of some U.S. popularity; in 1954, it reached as high as Number 663, but fell off the list in 1976.
Arabic families often pronounce it with two syllables--as EYE-dah--rather than three.
Aida Turturro played Tony Soprano's sister in The Sopranos.
