Declining since 1988, #544 for girls today.
Popularity of Priscilla since 1880
Babies named Priscilla per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 375 |
| 1890s | 589 |
| 1900s | 937 |
| 1910s | 3,378 |
| 1920s | 8,084 |
| 1930s | 8,538 |
| 1940s | 18,125 |
| 1950s | 14,241 |
| 1960s | 10,338 |
| 1970s | 9,114 |
| 1980s | 16,006 |
| 1990s | 14,493 |
| 2000s | 9,599 |
| 2010s | 6,073 |
| 2020s | 2,906 |
Meaning & origin
Priscilla has been in consistent use since the U.S. Social Security Administration began tracking names in 1880. Its peak popularity came in 1940, when it ranked among the highest ever. Since 1988, however, its usage has been falling, reflecting a shift away from older, formal names. Today it is given to roughly 1 in 2,896 newborn girls, placing it at rank 544. The name is especially popular in Nevada, Arkansas, and Arizona, suggesting a regional preference in the South and West. Despite its current decline, Priscilla retains a classic, biblical resonance that appeals to families seeking a name with historical depth.
Priscilla is a feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Priscus, which means 'ancient' or 'venerable' in Latin. The name appears in the New Testament as a woman who, with her husband Aquila, aided the apostle Paul. It was used in 16th-century England among Puritans and later revived in the 19th century.
Where Priscilla is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Priscilla” around the world
Where Priscilla lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Ireland
4
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cilla, Prissy, Cilly
Sibling names for Priscilla
Names that share Priscilla's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Seraphina, Evangeline, Beatrice, Rosalind, Felicity, Damaris, Dorcas, Jerusha, Arvella, Drusilla, Aquilla, Christella, Cyrilla, Huldah, Patt, Persis, Precilla, Tabbatha, Tabytha, Apphia, Dorcus, Paticia, Porschia, Petula, Drucella, Paulla, Suprina, Tabbetha, Tryphena
Brothers: Caspian, Julian, Sebastian, Theodore, Xavier, Elvis, Randolph, Stanford, Ananias, Barnabas, Cephas, Cephus, Filemon, Nicodemus, Philemon, Thaddaeus, Zaccheus, Zenas, Cleophas, Erastus, Coolidge, Partick, Regginald, Timotheus
Names like Priscilla
Names whose popularity has moved with Priscilla's over the last 50 years.
