Ilse
Girl name · #3912 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Ilse? In official American birth records, Ilse has been tracked continuously since 1914, giving it 111 years of documented American history.
Ilse is currently the #3912 girl name in the United States — 37 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #4295, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 48,649 girls born in 2025 was named Ilse.
Babies named Ilse per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 111-year story
Ilse first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 10 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1993, when 103 girls were named Ilse — good for #1518 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ilse against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ilse in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ilse is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ilse will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ilse is most common
State-level data for Ilse is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Ilse
Statistically, parents drawn to Ilse tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ivonne, Alise, Symone, Kaylene, and Becca.
IvonneAliseSymoneKayleneBeccaArynChaseIman
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ilse | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | #3903 |
| 2024 | 27 | #4893 |
| 2023 | 28 | #4746 |
| 2022 | 56 | #2956 |
| 2021 | 35 | #4090 |
| 2020 | 32 | #4263 |
| 2019 | 32 | #4343 |
| 2018 | 31 | #4458 |
| 2017 | 29 | #4695 |
| 2016 | 25 | #5284 |
| 2015 | 33 | #4295 |
| 2014 | 40 | #3778 |
| 2013 | 31 | #4543 |
| 2012 | 33 | #4387 |
| 2011 | 43 | #3603 |
| 2010 | 40 | #3816 |
| 2009 | 52 | #3189 |
| 2008 | 55 | #3084 |
| 2007 | 44 | #3653 |
| 2006 | 52 | #3176 |
| 2005 | 70 | #2482 |
| 2004 | 39 | #3689 |
| 2003 | 63 | #2556 |
| 2002 | 54 | #2780 |
| 2001 | 48 | #2963 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ilse?
In official American birth records, the name Ilse first appeared in 1914 (over 111 years ago), when 10 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 111 years.
Is Ilse a popular girl name?
Ilse ranked #3912 among girls in 2025 with 37 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4295.
When was the name Ilse most popular?
Ilse peaked in 1993, when 103 American girls received the name (ranked #1518 that year). Since 1993 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ilse?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 48,649 newborn American girls was named Ilse. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.