Isobel
Girl name · #2303 in 2025 · Uniqueness 75/100
In 2025, 79 baby girls were named Isobel, placing it at #2303 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2088, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,785 girls born in 2025 was named Isobel.
The 131-year story
Isobel first appears in the Social Security records in 1894, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 129 girls were named Isobel — good for #1660 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.
Babies named Isobel per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Isobel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Isobel in class?
Isobel scores 75 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Isobel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Isobel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Isobel is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Isobels were CA (11), NY (5), TX (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Isobel
Statistically, parents drawn to Isobel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Izabel, Annabel, Israel, Mirabel, and Izel.
IzabelAnnabelIsraelMirabelIzelAseelIxchelAvigail
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Isobel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 79 | #2298 |
| 2024 | 79 | #2327 |
| 2023 | 95 | #2050 |
| 2022 | 84 | #2228 |
| 2021 | 92 | #2071 |
| 2020 | 94 | #1991 |
| 2019 | 91 | #2070 |
| 2018 | 89 | #2130 |
| 2017 | 112 | #1828 |
| 2016 | 129 | #1660 |
| 2015 | 93 | #2088 |
| 2014 | 98 | #2010 |
| 2013 | 100 | #1968 |
| 2012 | 85 | #2205 |
| 2011 | 82 | #2274 |
| 2010 | 102 | #1959 |
| 2009 | 95 | #2119 |
| 2008 | 81 | #2380 |
| 2007 | 110 | #1886 |
| 2006 | 78 | #2396 |
| 2005 | 52 | #3052 |
| 2004 | 50 | #3071 |
| 2003 | 67 | #2439 |
| 2002 | 69 | #2331 |
| 2001 | 57 | #2635 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Isobel a popular girl name?
Isobel ranked #2303 among girls in 2025 with 79 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2088.
When was the name Isobel most popular?
Isobel peaked in 2016, when 129 American girls received the name (ranked #1660 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Isobel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,785 newborn American girls was named Isobel. It scores 75/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.