Angela
Feminine form of Church Latin Angelus, from Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos, “messenger, angel”).
Every Angela since 1880 — 675,392 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Angela
Angela is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #408 in 2025 with 765 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 675,392 American babies have been named Angela. Its peak came in 1971, when 25,993 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Angela stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Angela year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 765 | #408 | — | — |
| 2024 | 1,123 | #281 | — | — |
| 2023 | 1,214 | #255 | — | — |
| 2022 | 1,323 | #226 | — | — |
| 2021 | 1,282 | #235 | — | — |
| 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 | 8 | #9,057 |
| 2007 | 2,756 | #125 | 7 | #9,837 |
| 2006 | 2,926 | #114 | 9 | #8,035 |
| 2005 | 2,897 | #113 | 10 | #7,134 |
| 2004 | 3,163 | #105 | 9 | #7,564 |
| 2003 | 3,320 | #104 | 12 | #5,894 |
| 2002 | 3,714 | #83 | 8 | #7,681 |
| 2001 | 3,915 | #77 | 12 | #5,687 |
| 2000 | 3,828 | #79 | 9 | #6,872 |
| 1995 | 4,119 | #85 | 7 | #7,021 |
| 1990 | 6,666 | #52 | 30 | #2,312 |
| 1985 | 10,227 | #31 | 43 | #1,524 |
| 1980 | 17,969 | #12 | 58 | #1,204 |
| 1975 | 23,361 | #5 | 90 | #875 |
| 1970 | 24,929 | #6 | 83 | #884 |
| 1965 | 18,754 | #10 | 41 | #1,190 |
| 1960 | 8,683 | #50 | 21 | #1,774 |
| 1955 | 3,893 | #109 | 5 | #3,897 |
| 1950 | 2,057 | #148 | 5 | #3,708 |
| 1945 | 1,057 | #193 | 6 | #3,001 |
| 1940 | 726 | #234 | — | — |
| 1935 | 618 | #252 | — | — |
| 1930 | 639 | #244 | 10 | #2,617 |
| 1925 | 560 | #282 | 5 | #4,217 |
| 1920 | 665 | #255 | 9 | #2,976 |
| 1915 | 698 | #225 | — | — |
| 1910 | 260 | #239 | — | — |
| 1905 | 148 | #270 | — | — |
| 1900 | 107 | #327 | — | — |
| 1895 | 70 | #342 | — | — |
| 1890 | 45 | #373 | — | — |
| 1885 | 18 | #501 | — | — |
| 1880 | 7 | #683 | — | — |
Famous people named Angela
- Angela Merkel Politician · b. 1954
- Angela Lansbury Actor · b. 1925
- Angela Merici Religious figure · 1474–1540
- Angela Davis Social activist · b. 1944
- Angela Hitler Painter · 1883–1949
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Angela mean?
Feminine form of Church Latin Angelus, from Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos, “messenger, angel”).
How popular is the name Angela in 2025?
Angela ranked #408 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 765 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Angela?
675,392 babies have been named Angela in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Angela most popular?
Angela peaked in 1971, when 25,993 newborns received the name.
Is Angela a boy or girl name?
Angela is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Angela rising or falling?
Angela is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Angela?
Well-known people named Angela include Angela Merkel (politician), Angela Lansbury (actor), Angela Merici (religious figure).