Ilse
Every Ilse since 1914 — 2,401 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ilse
Ilse is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,937 in 2025 with 37 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 2,401 American babies have been named Ilse. Its peak came in 1993, when 103 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Ilse stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ilse year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | #3,937 |
| 2024 | 27 | #4,949 |
| 2023 | 28 | #4,796 |
| 2022 | 56 | #2,974 |
| 2021 | 35 | #4,130 |
| 2020 | 32 | #4,299 |
| 2019 | 32 | #4,386 |
| 2018 | 31 | #4,489 |
| 2017 | 29 | #4,739 |
| 2016 | 25 | #5,354 |
| 2015 | 33 | #4,338 |
| 2014 | 40 | #3,804 |
| 2013 | 31 | #4,572 |
| 2012 | 33 | #4,421 |
| 2011 | 43 | #3,628 |
| 2010 | 40 | #3,847 |
| 2009 | 52 | #3,214 |
| 2008 | 55 | #3,093 |
| 2007 | 44 | #3,673 |
| 2006 | 52 | #3,197 |
| 2005 | 70 | #2,486 |
| 2004 | 39 | #3,708 |
| 2003 | 63 | #2,564 |
| 2002 | 54 | #2,799 |
| 2001 | 48 | #2,978 |
| 2000 | 50 | #2,874 |
| 1995 | 72 | #1,927 |
| 1990 | 50 | #2,445 |
| 1985 | 10 | #6,625 |
| 1980 | 9 | #6,989 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,436 |
| 1970 | 11 | #4,863 |
| 1965 | 14 | #3,466 |
| 1960 | 8 | #4,928 |
| 1955 | 7 | #4,905 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | 6 | #4,237 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,558 |
| 1930 | 23 | #1,679 |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | 9 | #2,995 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Ilse
- Ilse Koch Politician · 1906–1967
- Ilse Aichinger Writer · 1921–2016
- Ilse DeLange Singer · b. 1977
- Ilse Aigner Politician · b. 1964
- Ilse Heylen Martial arts · b. 1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Ilse in 2025?
Ilse ranked #3,937 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 37 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ilse?
2,401 babies have been named Ilse in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ilse most popular?
Ilse peaked in 1993, when 103 newborns received the name.
Is Ilse a boy or girl name?
Ilse is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ilse rising or falling?
Ilse has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Ilse?
Well-known people named Ilse include Ilse Koch (politician), Ilse Aichinger (writer), Ilse DeLange (singer).