Priscilla Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: pri-SIL-uh //prɪˈsɪlə//
Origin: Latin; Hebrew
Meaning: Latin: 'ancient'; Hebrew: 'to be fruitful'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Priscilla has its roots in Latin, derived from the word "priscus," meaning "ancient" or "venerable." The name appears in various forms throughout history, including the Latin "Priscilla" and the Greek "Πρυσκίλλα" (Priskilla). It entered the English language through the Latin form, primarily due to the influence of early Christian texts and the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire.
The name is notably associated with a prominent figure in the New Testament, Priscilla, who, along with her husband Aquila, is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles and the letters of Paul, particularly in the first century CE. This biblical association contributed significantly to the name's adoption among early Christians.
Throughout the centuries, Priscilla has been recognized as a symbol of piety and dedication, often celebrated for her role in the early Christian community. The name appears in various historical texts and has been borne by several saints, further solidifying its place in Christian tradition.
The Vulgate, a late 4th-century Latin translation of the Bible, also references Priscilla, ensuring her legacy continued through ecclesiastical writings and teachings. Culturally, the name Priscilla has been embraced in various artistic and literary works, reflecting its enduring significance.
In the Renaissance, the name was sometimes associated with wisdom and virtue, as it was linked to the biblical Priscilla's role as a teacher of Apollos, a notable early Christian preacher. The diminutive form "Cilla" has also emerged, though it is less commonly used in historical texts.
Overall, Priscilla's etymological roots, historical milestones, and cultural resonance contribute to its lasting presence in Christian and literary traditions.
Famous people named Priscilla
In this section, you will find notable people named Priscilla. 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 Priscilla who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Priscilla 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.
Priscilla Presley is an actress and businesswoman best known for her marriage to Elvis Presley, her role in the Naked Gun series, and her work with Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Priscilla Chan is a philanthropist and pediatrician best known for co-founding the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, her work in education reform, and her advocacy for children's health.
Fictional characters named Priscilla
The following list of fictional characters named Priscilla is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Priscilla is a fictional character from the anime and manga series Fullmetal Alchemist. She is a skilled alchemist and a member of the military, playing a significant role in the story's exploration of morality and sacrifice.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Priscilla, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Priscilla. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Priscilla was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Priscilla has ranked as high as #247 nationally, which occurred in 1942, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, and Florida.
In the past 5 years the name Priscilla has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Priscilla 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 Priscilla was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Priscilla (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 | 86 | |
| TX | 48 | |
| FL | 24 | |
| GA | 23 | |
| IL | 21 | |
| NY | 17 | |
| NC | 16 | |
| AZ | 16 | |
| OH | 16 | |
| MN | 14 | |
| VA | 13 | |
| IN | 13 | |
| PA | 13 | |
| MO | 12 | |
| TN | 12 |
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 Priscilla.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 484 |
| 2023 | 451 |
| 2022 | 411 |
| 2021 | 477 |
| 2020 | 523 |
| 2019 | 487 |
| 2018 | 535 |
| 2017 | 592 |
| 2016 | 669 |
| 2015 | 635 |
| 2014 | 652 |
| 2013 | 637 |
| 2012 | 631 |
| 2011 | 612 |
| 2010 | 621 |
| 2009 | 772 |
| 2008 | 777 |
| 2007 | 876 |
| 2006 | 874 |
| 2005 | 909 |
| 2004 | 921 |
| 2003 | 1,080 |
| 2002 | 1,090 |
| 2001 | 1,130 |
| 2000 | 1,170 |
| 1999 | 1,291 |
| 1998 | 1,284 |
| 1997 | 1,156 |
| 1996 | 1,093 |
| 1995 | 1,307 |
| 1994 | 1,507 |
| 1993 | 1,596 |
| 1992 | 1,726 |
| 1991 | 1,779 |
| 1990 | 1,754 |
| 1989 | 1,740 |
| 1988 | 1,812 |
| 1987 | 1,648 |
| 1986 | 1,536 |
| 1985 | 1,701 |
| 1984 | 1,601 |
| 1983 | 1,508 |
| 1982 | 1,488 |
| 1981 | 1,539 |
| 1980 | 1,432 |
| 1979 | 1,256 |
| 1978 | 1,099 |
| 1977 | 913 |
| 1976 | 789 |
| 1975 | 722 |
| 1974 | 905 |
| 1973 | 826 |
| 1972 | 766 |
| 1971 | 904 |
| 1970 | 934 |
| 1969 | 919 |
| 1968 | 857 |
| 1967 | 871 |
| 1966 | 846 |
| 1965 | 945 |
| 1964 | 1,138 |
| 1963 | 1,248 |
| 1962 | 1,211 |
| 1961 | 1,089 |
| 1960 | 1,215 |
| 1959 | 1,271 |
| 1958 | 1,396 |
| 1957 | 1,449 |
| 1956 | 1,350 |
| 1955 | 1,280 |
| 1954 | 1,307 |
| 1953 | 1,379 |
| 1952 | 1,547 |
| 1951 | 1,590 |
| 1950 | 1,672 |
| 1949 | 1,935 |
| 1948 | 1,847 |
| 1947 | 1,933 |
| 1946 | 1,659 |
| 1945 | 1,412 |
| 1944 | 1,576 |
| 1943 | 1,834 |
| 1942 | 1,988 |
| 1941 | 1,971 |
| 1940 | 1,970 |
| 1939 | 1,542 |
| 1938 | 1,026 |
| 1937 | 797 |
| 1936 | 758 |
| 1935 | 774 |
| 1934 | 664 |
| 1933 | 676 |
| 1932 | 728 |
| 1931 | 749 |
| 1930 | 824 |
| 1929 | 842 |
| 1928 | 887 |
| 1927 | 898 |
| 1926 | 834 |
| 1925 | 830 |
| 1924 | 861 |
| 1923 | 811 |
| 1922 | 761 |
| 1921 | 723 |
| 1920 | 637 |
| 1919 | 557 |
| 1918 | 518 |
| 1917 | 456 |
| 1916 | 440 |
| 1915 | 392 |
| 1914 | 279 |
| 1913 | 241 |
| 1912 | 205 |
| 1911 | 148 |
| 1910 | 142 |
| 1909 | 99 |
| 1908 | 106 |
| 1907 | 117 |
| 1906 | 107 |
| 1905 | 88 |
| 1904 | 80 |
| 1903 | 79 |
| 1902 | 79 |
| 1901 | 72 |
| 1900 | 110 |
| 1899 | 59 |
| 1898 | 71 |
| 1897 | 73 |
| 1896 | 72 |
| 1895 | 63 |
| 1894 | 59 |
| 1893 | 51 |
| 1892 | 50 |
| 1891 | 51 |
| 1890 | 40 |
| 1889 | 39 |
| 1888 | 56 |
| 1887 | 51 |
| 1886 | 42 |
| 1885 | 32 |
| 1884 | 40 |
| 1883 | 27 |
| 1882 | 35 |
| 1881 | 27 |
| 1880 | 26 |