Isela
Girl name · #1932 in 2025 · Very rare
Isela ranks #1932 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 100 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2524, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,000 girls born in 2025 was named Isela.
The 99-year story
Isela first appears in the Social Security records in 1926, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1998, when 196 girls were named Isela — good for #1015 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 Isela per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Isela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Isela in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Isela is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Isela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Isela is most common
Geography matters for names, and Isela is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Isela is most common in AZ (0.4 per 1,000), CA (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Isela is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Isela
Statistically, parents drawn to Isela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marcela, Graciela, Gisela, Micaela, and Mariela.
MarcelaGracielaGiselaMicaelaMarielaIlanaDariaAnela
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Isela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 100 | #1927 |
| 2024 | 108 | #1852 |
| 2023 | 113 | #1792 |
| 2022 | 113 | #1807 |
| 2021 | 63 | #2715 |
| 2020 | 103 | #1872 |
| 2019 | 85 | #2170 |
| 2018 | 90 | #2113 |
| 2017 | 77 | #2357 |
| 2016 | 85 | #2247 |
| 2015 | 71 | #2524 |
| 2014 | 62 | #2781 |
| 2013 | 67 | #2626 |
| 2012 | 75 | #2449 |
| 2011 | 73 | #2483 |
| 2010 | 91 | #2152 |
| 2009 | 95 | #2119 |
| 2008 | 126 | #1756 |
| 2007 | 144 | #1570 |
| 2006 | 146 | #1505 |
| 2005 | 189 | #1210 |
| 2004 | 118 | #1643 |
| 2003 | 117 | #1641 |
| 2002 | 99 | #1805 |
| 2001 | 128 | #1468 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Isela a popular girl name?
Isela ranked #1932 among girls in 2025 with 100 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2524.
When was the name Isela most popular?
Isela peaked in 1998, when 196 American girls received the name (ranked #1015 that year). Since 1998 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Isela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,000 newborn American girls was named Isela. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.