Total births
3,802
Girls' name · since 1894
Isobel
3,802 babies named Isobel in U.S. Social Security records since 1894, with the highest year being 2016. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #2330
- among girls today
- 3,802
- born since 1894
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other girls
3,802 babies have been named Isobel since 1894, making it today's #2330 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Isobel has been recorded 3,802 times among girls since 1894, currently ranked #2330 nationally and more common than 87% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1894 to 2025.
- #2330 among girls today
- 3,802 born since 1894
- 2010s peak decade
- 87% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Isobel is currently the #2330 girls' name in America, more common than 87% of girls - 3,802 born since 1894, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2330
- among girls today
- 3,802
- born since 1894
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other girls
Isobel vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2330
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 87% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Isobel was born in this single decade.
2016
Single peak year
129 babies were named Isobel in 2016 - its busiest year on record.
How Isobel compares
3,802 Top 15% higher than 85% 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
Isobel's all-time total is 10x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Isobel | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,802 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 129 | 48 | 19,840 |
Isobel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Isobel's SSA record in two at 1945 and the more recent half accounts for 69% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 31%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1894, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2016 peak of 129, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Isobel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2016
Current rank
#2,330
Active since
1894
Isobel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1894–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 129
- Annual births at peak, across 132 years of records
Isobel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Isobel's strongest decade.
981 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Isobel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 42
1890s
42 births
- 1900s 129
1900s
129 births
- 1910s 366
1910s
366 births
- 1920s
1920s
422 births
- 1930s 190
1930s
190 births
- 1940s 81
1940s
81 births
- 1950s 51
1950s
51 births
- 1960s 12
1960s
12 births
- 1970s 13
1970s
13 births
- 1980s 7
1980s
7 births
- 1990s 270
1990s
270 births
- 2000s
2000s
715 births
- 2010s
2010s
981 births
- 2020s
2020s
523 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 981 births (26% of all-time use).
How Isobel 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 Isobel's total volume
Isobel vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Isobel by state
Where Isobel concentrates geographically, total births since 1894
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 299 | 7.9% |
| #2 | New York | | 285 | 7.5% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 200 | 5.3% |
| #4 | Texas | | 104 | 2.7% |
| #5 | Florida | | 55 | 1.4% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 51 | 1.3% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 46 | 1.2% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 45 | 1.2% |
California share of Isobel's total US births 7.9%
Even split
299 of 3,802 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Isobel appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Isobel? ▼
Isobel has been given to 3,802 babies in the U.S. since 1894, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #2330 as of the latest data. 129 babies were born in 2016, its single highest year.
When was Isobel most popular? ▼
Isobel was most popular in the 2010s decade with 981 total births. The single peak year was 2016.
Where is Isobel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Isobel are California (299 births), New York (285 births), Pennsylvania (200 births).
How long has the name Isobel been used? ▼
Isobel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1894, spanning 132 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Isobel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Isolde, Isola, Isobella, Isobelle, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Isobel's data
- Isobel's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (981 total births) through the 2020s (523) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Isobels (299 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 Isobel
Nearby Names Like Isobel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Isobel
Isolde Girl
#7698 347 births
Isola Girl
293 births
Isobella Girl
#16124 243 births
Isobelle Girl
106 births
Isolene Girl
48 births
Compare Isobel side by side: Isobel vs Isolde Isobel vs Isola Isobel vs Isobella
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Isobel
Susana #2329
20,999 births · Peak 1993
Marla #2331
38,781 births · Peak 1955
Susie #2328
85,789 births · Peak 1919
Emme #2332
3,613 births · Peak 2009
Lizzie #2327
39,538 births · Peak 1919
Hillary #2333
29,043 births · Peak 1992
Addalynn #2326
2,316 births · Peak 2015
Shira #2334
5,815 births · Peak 2009
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, 1894–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Isobel: #2330 Girls' Name - 3,802 Births, Peak 2016." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/isobel. 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 Isobel 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.