Total births
2,401
Girls' name · since 1914
Ilse
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 2,401 babies named Ilse, peaking in 1993. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4906
- among girls today
- 2,401
- born since 1914
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 72%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Ilse is the #4906 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 2,401 recorded since 1914.
Social Security Administration records show Ilse recorded 2,401 times among girls since 1914, holding rank #4906 nationally today, ahead of 72% of girls, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #4906 among girls today
- 2,401 born since 1914
- 1990s peak decade
- 72% more common than other girls
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Ilse is currently the #4906 girls' name in America, more common than 72% of girls - 2,401 born since 1914, peaking in the 1990s.
- #4906
- among girls today
- 2,401
- born since 1914
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 72%
- more common than other girls
Ilse vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#4906
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 72% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Ilse was born in this single decade.
1993
Single peak year
103 babies were named Ilse in 1993 - its busiest year on record.
How Ilse compares
2,401 Top 20% higher than 80% 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
Ilse's all-time total is 6x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ilse | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,401 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 103 | 48 | 19,840 |
Ilse's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ilse's SSA record in two at 1977 and the more recent half accounts for 82% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 18%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1937, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1993 peak of 103, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ilse at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1993
Current rank
#4,906
Active since
1914
Ilse popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (1993)
- 103
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Ilse by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Ilse's strongest decade.
720 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Ilse births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 45
1910s
45 births
- 1920s 66
1920s
66 births
- 1930s 98
1930s
98 births
- 1940s 27
1940s
27 births
- 1950s 66
1950s
66 births
- 1960s 84
1960s
84 births
- 1970s 56
1970s
56 births
- 1980s 160
1980s
160 births
- 1990s
1990s
720 births
- 2000s
2000s
527 births
- 2010s
2010s
337 births
- 2020s 215
2020s
215 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 720 births (30% of all-time use).
How Ilse 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 Ilse's total volume
Ilse vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ilse by state
Where Ilse concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 529 | 22.0% |
| #2 | California | | 523 | 21.8% |
| #3 | Arizona | | 67 | 2.8% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 46 | 1.9% |
| #5 | New York | | 36 | 1.5% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #7 | Wisconsin | | 5 | 0.2% |
Texas share of Ilse's total US births 22.0%
Even split
529 of 2,401 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ilse? ▼
2,401 babies have been named Ilse since 1914. It currently ranks #4906 among girls. The peak year was 1993 with 103 births.
When was Ilse most popular? ▼
Ilse was most popular in the 1990s decade with 720 total births. The single peak year was 1993.
Where is Ilse most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ilse are Texas (529 births), California (523 births), Arizona (67 births).
How long has the name Ilse been used? ▼
Records for Ilse go back to 1914, giving 112 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Ilse? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ilsa, Ilsy, Ilsi. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ilse's data
- Ilse's decade-level peak was the 1990s (720 total births); usage has since declined to 215 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Ilses (529 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Ilse
Nearby Names Like Ilse
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ilse
Compare Ilse side by side: Ilse vs Ilsa Ilse vs Ilsy Ilse vs Ilsi
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ilse
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, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ilse: #4906 Girls' Name - 2,401 Births, Peak 1993." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ilse. 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 Ilse 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.