Total births
4,246
Girls' name · since 1915
Gisela
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 4,246 babies named Gisela, peaking in 1995. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4311
- among girls today
- 4,246
- born since 1915
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 76%
- more common than other girls
4,246 babies have been named Gisela since 1915, making it today's #4311 girls' name.
Social Security Administration records show Gisela recorded 4,246 times among girls since 1915, holding rank #4311 nationally today, ahead of 76% of girls, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- #4311 among girls today
- 4,246 born since 1915
- 2000s peak decade
- 76% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Gisela is currently the #4311 girls' name in America, more common than 76% of girls - 4,246 born since 1915, peaking in the 2000s.
- #4311
- among girls today
- 4,246
- born since 1915
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 76%
- more common than other girls
Gisela vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#4311
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 76% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Gisela was born in this single decade.
1995
Single peak year
160 babies were named Gisela in 1995 - its busiest year on record.
How Gisela compares
4,246 Top 14% higher than 86% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Gisela's all-time total is 11x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gisela | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,246 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 160 | 48 | 19,840 |
Gisela's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gisela's SSA record in two at 1980 and the more recent half accounts for 71% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 29%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1915, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1995 peak of 160, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gisela at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1995
Current rank
#4,311
Active since
1915
Gisela popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (1995)
- 160
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Gisela by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Gisela's strongest decade.
909 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Gisela births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 15
1910s
15 births
- 1920s 47
1920s
47 births
- 1930s 32
1930s
32 births
- 1940s 21
1940s
21 births
- 1950s 140
1950s
140 births
- 1960s 332
1960s
332 births
- 1970s
1970s
646 births
- 1980s
1980s
511 births
- 1990s
1990s
901 births
- 2000s
2000s
909 births
- 2010s
2010s
480 births
- 2020s 212
2020s
212 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 909 births (21% of all-time use).
How Gisela compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Gisela's total volume
Gisela vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Gisela by state
Where Gisela concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,040 | 24.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 800 | 18.8% |
| #3 | New York | | 368 | 8.7% |
| #4 | Florida | | 106 | 2.5% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 100 | 2.4% |
| #6 | Arizona | | 44 | 1.0% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 41 | 1.0% |
| #8 | Maryland | | 5 | 0.1% |
California share of Gisela's total US births 24.5%
Even split
1,040 of 4,246 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gisela? ▼
Gisela has been given to 4,246 babies in the U.S. since 1915, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #4311 as of the latest data. 160 babies were born in 1995, its single highest year.
When was Gisela most popular? ▼
Gisela was most popular in the 2000s decade with 909 total births. The single peak year was 1995.
Where is Gisela most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gisela are California (1,040 births), Texas (800 births), New York (368 births).
How long has the name Gisela been used? ▼
Records for Gisela go back to 1915, giving 111 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Gisela? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Giselle, Gisselle, Gisele, Gissel, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Gisela's data
- Gisela's decade-level peak was the 2000s (909 total births); usage has since declined to 212 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Giselas (1,040 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Gisela
Nearby Names Like Gisela
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gisela
Giselle Girl
#360 50,186 births
Gisselle Girl
#1619 10,551 births
Gisele Girl
#2824 5,391 births
Gissel Girl
#7022 2,563 births
Gisel Girl
#5342 2,283 births
Compare Gisela side by side: Gisela vs Giselle Gisela vs Gisselle Gisela vs Gisele
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gisela
Royce #4310
2,508 births · Peak 2017
Viana #4312
830 births · Peak 2021
Tyra #4309
14,626 births · Peak 1998
Alycia #4313
10,168 births · Peak 1990
Charolette #4308
3,536 births · Peak 1943
Ronni #4314
3,607 births · Peak 1949
Ruthann #4307
7,098 births · Peak 1943
Holley #4315
4,486 births · Peak 1984
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gisela: #4311 Girls' Name - 4,246 Births, Peak 1995." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gisela. 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 Gisela 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 June 2026.