Total births
1,082
Girls' name · since 1888
Vela
1,082 babies named Vela in U.S. Social Security records since 1888, with the highest year being 1915. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #5805
- among girls today
- 1,082
- born since 1888
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 67%
- more common than other girls
Vela currently ranks #5805 among girls' names in America, with 1,082 babies recorded since 1888.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Vela has been recorded 1,082 times among girls since 1888, currently ranked #5805 nationally and more common than 67% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1888 to 2025.
- #5805 among girls today
- 1,082 born since 1888
- 1910s peak decade
- 67% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Vela is currently the #5805 girls' name in America, more common than 67% of girls - 1,082 born since 1888, peaking in the 1910s.
- #5805
- among girls today
- 1,082
- born since 1888
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 67%
- more common than other girls
Vela vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#5805
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 67% of names given to girls today.
1910s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Vela was born in this single decade.
1915
Single peak year
38 babies were named Vela in 1915 - its busiest year on record.
How Vela compares
1,082 Top 30% higher than 70% 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
Vela's all-time total is 183% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Vela | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,082 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 38 | 48 | 19,840 |
Vela's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Vela splits its recorded history at 1934: 45% of all births land in the more recent half, 55% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1890 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1915 peak of 38 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Vela at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1915
Current rank
#5,805
Active since
1888
Vela popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–2025
- Peak year (1915)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 138 years of records
Vela by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Vela's strongest decade.
205 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Vela births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6
1880s
6 births
- 1890s 48
1890s
48 births
- 1900s
1900s
108 births
- 1910s
1910s
205 births
- 1920s
1920s
180 births
- 1930s
1930s
104 births
- 1940s 53
1940s
53 births
- 1950s 40
1950s
40 births
- 1960s 32
1960s
32 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s 12
2000s
12 births
- 2010s
2010s
165 births
- 2020s
2020s
119 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 205 births (19% of all-time use).
How Vela 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 Vela's total volume
Vela vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Vela by state
Where Vela concentrates geographically, total births since 1888
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 53 | 4.9% |
| #2 | California | | 48 | 4.4% |
| #3 | Kentucky | | 22 | 2.0% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 10 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Arkansas | | 5 | 0.5% |
Texas share of Vela's total US births 4.9%
Even split
53 of 1,082 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Vela? ▼
1,082 babies have been named Vela since 1888. It currently ranks #5805 among girls. The peak year was 1915 with 38 births.
When was Vela most popular? ▼
Vela was most popular in the 1910s decade with 205 total births. The single peak year was 1915.
Where is Vela most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Vela are Texas (53 births), California (48 births), Kentucky (22 births).
How long has the name Vela been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Vela since 1888 -- 138 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Vela? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Velma, Velda, Velva, Velvet, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Vela's data
- Vela's usage has stayed within range of its 1910s decade-level peak (205 total births) through the 2020s (119) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Velas (53 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 Vela
Nearby Names Like Vela
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Vela
Velma Girl
#7969 86,752 births
Velda Girl
7,559 births
Velva Girl
4,274 births
Velvet Girl
#9023 3,096 births
Velia Girl
#13542 2,831 births
Compare Vela side by side: Vela vs Velma Vela vs Velda Vela vs Velva
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Vela
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, 1888–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Vela: #5805 Girls' Name - 1,082 Births, Peak 1915." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/vela. 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 Vela 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.