Total births
474
Girls' name · since 1955
Chela
Chela has 474 recorded births since 1955 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1985 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 474
- total births
- 1955–2011
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
Chela sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 474 recorded since 1955.
Social Security Administration records show Chela recorded 474 times among girls since 1955, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1955 to 2011.
- 474 total births
- 1955–2011 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
474 girls have been named Chela since 1955, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2011.
- 474
- total births
- 1955–2011
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Chela was born in this single decade.
1985
Single peak year
79 babies were named Chela in 1985 - its busiest year on record.
Chela's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Chela's full recorded timeline at 1989, 43% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 57% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1970, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1985 peak of 79 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Chela at a glance
Last recorded 2011Peak year
1985
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1955
Chela popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1955–2011
- Peak year (1985)
- 79
- Annual births at peak, across 57 years of records
Chela by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Chela's strongest decade.
185 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Chela births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1960s 6
1960s
6 births
- 1970s
1970s
84 births
- 1980s
1980s
185 births
- 1990s
1990s
113 births
- 2000s 69
2000s
69 births
- 2010s 11
2010s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 185 births (39% of all-time use).
Chela by state
Where Chela concentrates geographically, total births since 1955
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Virginia | | 27 | 5.7% |
| #2 | California | | 13 | 2.7% |
| #3 | District of Columbia | | 10 | 2.1% |
| #4 | South Carolina | | 7 | 1.5% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 6 | 1.3% |
Virginia share of Chela's total US births 5.7%
Even split
27 of 474 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Chela? ▼
Chela has been given to 474 babies in the U.S. since 1955, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2011. 79 babies were born in 1985, its single highest year.
When was Chela most popular? ▼
Chela was most popular in the 1980s decade with 185 total births. The single peak year was 1985.
Where is Chela most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Chela are Virginia (27 births), California (13 births), District of Columbia (10 births).
How long has the name Chela been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Chela since 1955 -- 57 years through the most recent 2011 data.
What names are similar to Chela? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cheryl, Chelsea, Cheyenne, Cheri, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Chela's data
- Chela's decade-level peak was the 1980s (185 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Virginia records the most Chelas (27 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Virginia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Chela
Nearby Names Like Chela
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Chela
Cheryl Girl
#3977 439,539 births
Chelsea Girl
#789 162,884 births
Cheyenne Girl
#870 70,732 births
Cheri Girl
#10373 36,068 births
Chelsey Girl
#5482 31,498 births
Compare Chela side by side: Chela vs Cheryl Chela vs Chelsea Chela vs Cheyenne
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1955–2011 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Chela: Baby Name Since 1955 - 474 Births, Peak 1985." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/chela. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Chela draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.