Angela
Girl name · #408 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Angela? In official American birth records, Angela has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 765 baby girls were named Angela, placing it at #408 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #220, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,353 girls born in 2025 was named Angela.
The 145-year story
Angela first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1971, when 25,901 girls were named Angela — good for #6 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Angela per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Angela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Angela in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Angela is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Angela is most common
Geography matters for names, and Angela is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Angela is most common in AZ (0.9 per 1,000), GA (0.8 per 1,000), TX (0.7 per 1,000), CO (0.7 per 1,000), CA (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Angela is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Angela
Statistically, parents drawn to Angela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Regina, Melissa, Laura, Heidi, and Andrea.
ReginaMelissaLauraHeidiAndreaCarlaMichelleMonica
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Angela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 765 | #408 |
| 2024 | 1,123 | #281 |
| 2023 | 1,214 | #255 |
| 2022 | 1,323 | #226 |
| 2021 | 1,282 | #234 |
| 2020 | 1,190 | #251 |
| 2019 | 1,272 | #257 |
| 2018 | 1,242 | #265 |
| 2017 | 1,352 | #234 |
| 2016 | 1,511 | #214 |
| 2015 | 1,492 | #220 |
| 2014 | 1,737 | #191 |
| 2013 | 1,651 | #196 |
| 2012 | 1,641 | #193 |
| 2011 | 1,679 | #189 |
| 2010 | 1,917 | #160 |
| 2009 | 2,258 | #142 |
| 2008 | 2,542 | #132 |
| 2007 | 2,756 | #125 |
| 2006 | 2,926 | #114 |
| 2005 | 2,897 | #113 |
| 2004 | 3,163 | #105 |
| 2003 | 3,320 | #104 |
| 2002 | 3,714 | #83 |
| 2001 | 3,915 | #77 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Angela?
In official American birth records, the name Angela first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Angela a popular girl name?
Angela ranked #408 among girls in 2025 with 765 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #220.
When was the name Angela most popular?
Angela peaked in 1971, when 25,901 American girls received the name (ranked #6 that year). Since 1971 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Angela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,353 newborn American girls was named Angela. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.