Ila Girl

Popularity: #555 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: EE-lah /iːˈlɑː/

Origin: Sanskrit; Hebrew

Meaning: Sanskrit: Earth; Hebrew: God is my light

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ila has its roots in ancient languages, primarily deriving from the Sanskrit word "ila," which means "earth" or "speech." This etymology highlights a connection to nature and communication, reflecting the significance of these elements in various cultures. The name has also been linked to the Hebrew name "Elah," meaning "oak tree," which carries connotations of strength and endurance.

The transition of the name into English likely occurred through various cultural exchanges and translations over centuries, particularly during periods of increased interaction between different linguistic groups. Historically, the name Ila appears in various mythological and literary contexts.

In Hindu mythology, Ila is a significant figure, often associated with the lunar deity Chandra and recognized for her role in the epic narratives of ancient texts. This connection to mythology underscores the name's cultural resonance in South Asian traditions, where it has been celebrated for its ties to divine and earthly themes.

The name's presence in literature and religious texts throughout the centuries has contributed to its enduring significance. In addition to its mythological roots, Ila has been embraced in various cultural contexts, often symbolizing harmony and balance between the earthly and celestial realms.

The name has been used in poetry and storytelling, further embedding it within the cultural fabric of societies that value nature and communication. Its associations with strength and resilience, particularly through its connections to trees and the earth, have allowed it to maintain a place in the lexicon of names that evoke a sense of grounding and stability.

While diminutive forms or variations may exist, the name Ila stands out in its own right, representing a blend of linguistic heritage and cultural depth.

Famous people named Ila

In this section, you will find notable people named Ila. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ila who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ila who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Ila Stubbins is a singer best known for her work with the band The Shirelles.

Ila P. D. is a writer best known for her novels and contributions to contemporary literature.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ila, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MiraNilaLilaZaraTara

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ila. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

AylaIslaLilaEllaMilaNinaRheaCila

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ila was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Ila has ranked as high as #475 nationally, which occurred in 1925, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Michigan, Alabama, California, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Ila has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ila is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ila was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Ila (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 37
10%
OH 30
8%
TX 23
6%
NC 20
5%
MI 18
5%
WI 17
4%
FL 15
4%
UT 13
3%
GA 13
3%
IL 13
3%
AZ 13
3%
IN 13
3%
AL 11
3%
TN 10
3%
MA 10
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ila.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 390 0 390
2024 421 0 421
2023 480 0 480
2022 428 0 428
2021 377 0 377
2020 311 0 311
2019 249 0 249
2018 183 0 183
2017 230 0 230
2016 199 0 199
2015 213 0 213
2014 203 0 203
2013 142 0 142
2012 150 0 150
2011 129 0 129
2010 155 0 155
2009 124 0 124
2008 109 0 109
2007 88 0 88
2006 90 0 90
2005 74 0 74
2004 60 0 60
2003 55 0 55
2002 43 0 43
2001 57 0 57
2000 38 0 38
1999 38 0 38
1998 25 0 25
1997 28 0 28
1996 30 0 30
1995 16 0 16
1994 25 0 25
1993 16 0 16
1992 19 0 19
1991 19 0 19
1990 24 0 24
1989 16 0 16
1988 17 0 17
1987 31 0 31
1986 20 0 20
1985 16 0 16
1984 29 0 29
1983 21 0 21
1982 24 0 24
1981 23 0 23
1980 28 0 28
1979 33 0 33
1978 27 0 27
1977 30 0 30
1976 25 0 25
1975 32 0 32
1974 26 0 26
1973 23 0 23
1972 27 0 27
1971 35 0 35
1970 24 0 24
1969 41 0 41
1968 36 0 36
1967 49 0 49
1966 42 0 42
1965 36 0 36
1964 55 0 55
1963 49 0 49
1962 70 0 70
1961 72 0 72
1960 57 0 57
1959 73 0 73
1958 89 0 89
1957 94 0 94
1956 83 0 83
1955 87 0 87
1954 81 0 81
1953 137 0 137
1952 144 0 144
1951 112 0 112
1950 133 0 133
1949 123 0 123
1948 143 0 143
1947 183 0 183
1946 147 0 147
1945 151 0 151
1944 172 0 172
1943 189 0 189
1942 229 0 229
1941 217 0 217
1940 212 0 212
1939 247 0 247
1938 299 0 299
1937 320 0 320
1936 315 5 310
1935 312 0 312
1934 367 0 367
1933 379 0 379
1932 427 0 427
1931 427 0 427
1930 456 5 451
1929 481 0 481
1928 524 0 524
1927 531 0 531
1926 487 0 487
1925 649 7 642
1924 583 6 577
1923 529 5 524
1922 576 0 576
1921 623 0 623
1920 567 6 561
1919 554 5 549
1918 571 7 564
1917 499 5 494
1916 522 9 513
1915 451 0 451
1914 376 0 376
1913 279 0 279
1912 274 0 274
1911 243 0 243
1910 199 0 199
1909 200 0 200
1908 196 0 196
1907 162 0 162
1906 146 0 146
1905 166 0 166
1904 143 0 143
1903 160 0 160
1902 154 0 154
1901 138 0 138
1900 177 0 177
1899 113 0 113
1898 114 0 114
1897 119 0 119
1896 126 0 126
1895 97 0 97
1894 112 0 112
1893 97 0 97
1892 93 0 93
1891 72 0 72
1890 63 0 63
1889 54 0 54
1888 49 0 49
1887 43 0 43
1886 45 0 45
1885 42 0 42
1884 29 0 29
1883 32 0 32
1882 25 0 25
1881 20 0 20
1880 15 0 15