Isa
Isa is given to both girls and boys: 119 girls and 253 boys were given it in 2025 (#1,717 among girls’ names and #933 among boys’, #1,448 among all names counting both); 6,575 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 5,600 Americans named Isa and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (85% of everyone recorded); the median is 12 years old and half are between 6 and 24.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Isa by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Isa mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Isa is “a diminutive of the female given name Isabel or of its variant forms, sometimes also used as a formal given name.”
Also “a male given name from Arabic mainly used by Muslims.”
From Isabel, Isabella and Isabelle.
/ˈisə/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Isa?
#1,717 among girls’ names, 2025
Isa rose from #2,486 in 2015 to #1,717 in 2025 among girls’ names; its share of girls born rose from 40.9 to 74.0 per million.
372 babies in 2025, the peak
Isa peaked in 2025, when 372 babies were given it (119 girls, #1,717 among girls’ names). In 2024 it went to 100 girls.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 119 | #1,717 | 253 | #933 |
| 2024 | 100 | #1,973 | 218 | #1,024 |
| 2023 | 83 | #2,250 | 171 | #1,185 |
| 2022 | 103 | #1,937 | 125 | #1,450 |
| 2021 | 77 | #2,354 | 153 | #1,247 |
| 2020 | 92 | #2,026 | 139 | #1,301 |
| 2019 | 94 | #2,038 | 119 | #1,464 |
| 2018 | 103 | #1,929 | 123 | #1,424 |
| 2017 | 88 | #2,171 | 129 | #1,373 |
| 2016 | 74 | #2,467 | 114 | #1,492 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 73 | #2,486 | 112 | #1,485 |
| 2014 | 95 | #2,059 | 98 | #1,602 |
| 2013 | 62 | #2,783 | 95 | #1,616 |
| 2012 | 62 | #2,815 | 109 | #1,483 |
| 2011 | 64 | #2,743 | 74 | #1,891 |
| 2010 | 56 | #3,021 | 76 | #1,889 |
| 2009 | 53 | #3,173 | 77 | #1,876 |
| 2008 | 55 | #3,093 | 70 | #2,012 |
| 2007 | 55 | #3,144 | 66 | #2,077 |
| 2006 | 38 | #3,951 | 55 | #2,298 |
| 2005 | 49 | #3,180 | 61 | #2,038 |
| 2004 | 43 | #3,455 | 51 | #2,258 |
| 2003 | 32 | #4,134 | 41 | #2,520 |
| 2002 | 24 | #4,959 | 55 | #2,003 |
| 2001 | 22 | #5,254 | 36 | #2,642 |
| 2000 | 21 | #5,373 | 35 | #2,639 |
| 1999 | 23 | #4,774 | 43 | #2,180 |
| 1998 | 21 | #5,018 | 27 | #2,956 |
| 1997 | 17 | #5,710 | 21 | #3,387 |
| 1996 | 15 | #6,166 | 24 | #3,055 |
| 1995 | 19 | #5,091 | 22 | #3,133 |
| 1994 | 13 | #6,823 | 13 | #4,626 |
| 1993 | 22 | #4,562 | 17 | #3,720 |
| 1992 | 26 | #4,001 | 23 | #2,937 |
| 1991 | 17 | #5,498 | 20 | #3,156 |
| 1990 | 21 | #4,566 | 16 | #3,674 |
| 1989 | 14 | #5,934 | 22 | #2,818 |
| 1988 | 16 | #5,130 | 15 | #3,415 |
| 1987 | 20 | #4,173 | 6 | #6,419 |
| 1986 | 12 | #5,889 | 12 | #3,723 |
| 1985 | 20 | #4,029 | 10 | #4,167 |
| 1984 | 19 | #4,047 | 12 | #3,545 |
| 1983 | 19 | #4,003 | 18 | #2,611 |
| 1982 | 17 | #4,403 | 18 | #2,631 |
| 1981 | 18 | #4,206 | 16 | #2,822 |
| 1980 | 25 | #3,352 | 19 | #2,574 |
| 1979 | 18 | #4,102 | 12 | #3,434 |
| 1978 | 19 | #3,826 | 15 | #2,844 |
| 1977 | 18 | #3,952 | 13 | #3,095 |
| 1976 | 14 | #4,438 | 10 | #3,582 |
| 1975 | 22 | #3,196 | 13 | #2,975 |
| 1974 | 20 | #3,352 | 6 | #4,875 |
| 1973 | 23 | #2,942 | 8 | #3,847 |
| 1972 | 18 | #3,445 | 7 | #4,162 |
| 1971 | 18 | #3,561 | 6 | #4,623 |
| 1970 | 18 | #3,482 | under 5 | |
| 1969 | 20 | #3,047 | 6 | #4,139 |
| 1968 | 14 | #3,679 | under 5 | |
| 1967 | 15 | #3,390 | under 5 | |
| 1966 | 13 | #3,632 | under 5 | |
| 1965 | 13 | #3,625 | under 5 | |
| 1964 | 14 | #3,579 | 6 | #3,795 |
| 1963 | 7 | #5,533 | under 5 | |
| 1962 | 16 | #3,216 | under 5 | |
| 1961 | 9 | #4,669 | under 5 | |
| 1960 | 12 | #3,781 | under 5 | |
| 1959 | 8 | #4,781 | under 5 | |
| 1958 | 13 | #3,437 | under 5 | |
| 1957 | 6 | #5,673 | under 5 | |
| 1956 | 7 | #5,026 | under 5 | |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,458 | under 5 | |
| 1954 | 9 | #4,089 | under 5 | |
| 1953 | 5 | #6,019 | under 5 | |
| 1952 | 9 | #3,933 | under 5 | |
| 1951 | 6 | #5,081 | under 5 | |
| 1950 | 5 | #5,609 | under 5 | |
| 1949 | 8 | #4,026 | under 5 | |
| 1948 | 6 | #4,894 | under 5 | |
| 1947 | 11 | #3,325 | under 5 | |
| 1946 | 5 | #5,242 | under 5 | |
| 1945 | 9 | #3,236 | under 5 | |
| 1944 | 7 | #3,856 | under 5 | |
| 1943 | 6 | #4,404 | under 5 | |
| 1942 | 15 | #2,348 | under 5 | |
| 1941 | 8 | #3,373 | under 5 | |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,334 | under 5 | |
| 1939 | 17 | #1,988 | under 5 | |
| 1938 | 12 | #2,495 | under 5 | |
| 1937 | 9 | #3,033 | under 5 | |
| 1936 | 9 | #2,961 | under 5 | |
| 1935 | 11 | #2,636 | under 5 | |
| 1934 | 18 | #1,867 | under 5 | |
| 1933 | 10 | #2,765 | under 5 | |
| 1932 | 10 | #2,925 | under 5 | |
| 1931 | 13 | #2,357 | under 5 | |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,485 | under 5 | |
| 1929 | 10 | #3,025 | under 5 | |
| 1928 | 10 | #3,036 | under 5 | |
| 1927 | 9 | #3,407 | under 5 | |
| 1926 | 12 | #2,790 | under 5 | |
| 1925 | 24 | #1,769 | 5 | #4,549 |
| 1924 | 17 | #2,248 | under 5 | |
| 1923 | 9 | #3,487 | under 5 | |
| 1922 | 19 | #2,059 | under 5 | |
| 1921 | 20 | #2,015 | under 5 | |
| 1920 | 26 | #1,637 | under 5 | |
| 1919 | 27 | #1,542 | under 5 | |
| 1918 | 13 | #2,586 | under 5 | |
| 1917 | 20 | #1,806 | under 5 | |
| 1916 | 21 | #1,713 | under 5 | |
| 1915 | 30 | #1,300 | 6 | #3,610 |
| 1914 | 17 | #1,630 | under 5 | |
| 1913 | 13 | #1,711 | under 5 | |
| 1912 | 17 | #1,325 | under 5 | |
| 1911 | 10 | #1,591 | under 5 | |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,843 | under 5 | |
| 1909 | 13 | #1,179 | under 5 | |
| 1908 | 6 | #1,964 | under 5 | |
| 1907 | 16 | #963 | under 5 | |
| 1906 | 11 | #1,189 | under 5 | |
| 1905 | 12 | #1,124 | under 5 | |
| 1904 | 13 | #1,023 | under 5 | |
| 1903 | 10 | #1,164 | under 5 | |
| 1902 | 8 | #1,377 | under 5 | |
| 1901 | 17 | #809 | under 5 | |
| 1900 | 18 | #902 | under 5 | |
| 1899 | 13 | #919 | under 5 | |
| 1898 | 9 | #1,210 | under 5 | |
| 1897 | 19 | #728 | under 5 | |
| 1896 | 19 | #738 | under 5 | |
| 1895 | 12 | #958 | under 5 | |
| 1894 | 13 | #876 | under 5 | |
| 1893 | 10 | #988 | under 5 | |
| 1892 | 17 | #713 | under 5 | |
| 1891 | 12 | #817 | under 5 | |
| 1890 | 18 | #626 | under 5 | |
| 1889 | 14 | #703 | under 5 | |
| 1888 | 17 | #620 | under 5 | |
| 1887 | 14 | #620 | under 5 | |
| 1886 | 17 | #546 | under 5 | |
| 1885 | 14 | #591 | under 5 | |
| 1884 | 12 | #625 | under 5 | |
| 1883 | 7 | #784 | under 5 | |
| 1882 | 12 | #548 | under 5 | |
| 1881 | 17 | #411 | under 5 | |
| 1880 | 5 | #875 | under 5 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Isa a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 6,575 Americans recorded as Isa, 52% are girls and 48% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Isa: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Isa, and how old are they?
5,600 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 85% of the 6,575 Americans ever recorded as Isa. The median Isa alive today is 12 years old; half are between 6 and 24.
The 2020 Census counted 5,145 people named Isa (2,790 women and girls, 2,355 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 4,106 born in the U.S. The Census count is 25% above that prediction. Possible reasons: the Census records the name people give, which for many is the short form Isa rather than the name on their birth record, and it counts people born abroad, whom SSA’s files leave out.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 54 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 133 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 372 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 531 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 1,510 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 2,990 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Isa born?
The states with the most babies named Isa are California, Texas and New York, with 47% of its births recorded by state in 2025.
| State | Births 2025 | Rank, girls | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 50 | #1,128 | 0.9× |
| Texas | 48 | #1,493 | 0.8× |
| New York | 38 | #1,580 | 1.2× |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | #1,296 | 0.8× |
| Florida | 20 | #1,999 | 0.3× |
| Illinois | 19 | not ranked | 0.8× |
| Virginia | 17 | not ranked | 0.6× |
| Michigan | 16 | #1,297 | 0.3× |
| New Jersey | 14 | not ranked | 0.9× |
| Georgia | 13 | not ranked | 0.3× |
Where Isa is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Isa is most over-represented in New York: since 1910 it was given 1.2 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among girls’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Isa with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 3 names spelled alike, given to 7,075 babies since 1880, Isa is the most given (93% of them). In 2025 it was given to 372 of their 382 babies (97%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Isa
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
| Name | Recorded | 1880-2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Love | 5,785 |
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Isa and names like it
- Compare Isa and IasiaBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 2020sIsa peaked in 2025.
- California’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Isa since 1910.
- Arabic namesWiktionary’s origin for Isa: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 2025The year the most babies were named Isa.
- The names of Generation AlphaMost people named Isa alive today were born 2013-2025.
- Names starting with IMost given first.