Ila
Girl name · #718 in 2025 · Uniqueness 51/100
Ila ranks #718 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 390 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1183, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,615 girls born in 2025 was named Ila.
The 145-year story
Ila first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 15 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1925, when 642 girls were named Ila — good for #261 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 Ila per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ila against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ila in class?
Ila scores 51 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ila is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ila is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Ilas were TX (35), CA (19), MO (17), OH (16), NC (15). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Ila
Statistically, parents drawn to Ila tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Luella, Estella, Etta, Flora, and Della.
LuellaEstellaEttaFloraDellaViolaCleoMae
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ila | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 390 | #718 |
| 2024 | 421 | #679 |
| 2023 | 480 | #622 |
| 2022 | 428 | #684 |
| 2021 | 377 | #757 |
| 2020 | 311 | #864 |
| 2019 | 249 | #1029 |
| 2018 | 183 | #1262 |
| 2017 | 230 | #1098 |
| 2016 | 199 | #1229 |
| 2015 | 213 | #1183 |
| 2014 | 203 | #1198 |
| 2013 | 142 | #1539 |
| 2012 | 150 | #1497 |
| 2011 | 129 | #1655 |
| 2010 | 155 | #1456 |
| 2009 | 124 | #1756 |
| 2008 | 109 | #1927 |
| 2007 | 88 | #2231 |
| 2006 | 90 | #2149 |
| 2005 | 74 | #2379 |
| 2004 | 60 | #2711 |
| 2003 | 55 | #2800 |
| 2002 | 43 | #3241 |
| 2001 | 57 | #2635 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ila a popular girl name?
Ila ranked #718 among girls in 2025 with 390 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1183.
When was the name Ila most popular?
Ila peaked in 1925, when 642 American girls received the name (ranked #261 that year). Since 1925 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ila?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,615 newborn American girls was named Ila. It scores 51/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.