Holding steady.
Popularity of Refugia since 1883
Babies named Refugia per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1923, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Refugia's real moment was 1887.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 12 |
| 1890s | 21 |
| 1900s | 102 |
| 1910s | 211 |
| 1920s | 338 |
| 1930s | 254 |
| 1940s | 162 |
| 1950s | 107 |
| 1960s | 51 |
| 1970s | 26 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Refugia is an exceptionally rare Spanish feminine name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1883. Its peak year came just four years later in 1887, during the high tide of Spanish-named Catholic devotion in the American Southwest. Since then, the name has followed a stable trajectory of near-zero usage, with no measurable rank in any modern year. No top states are recorded for Refugia, reflecting its scattered, low-frequency distribution. As a devotional name meaning refuge, it belongs to a family of Spanish honorifics like Dolores, Socorro, and Concepcion, which have all experienced steep declines in usage over the 20th century.
Refugia is a feminine Spanish name directly derived from the word refugio, meaning refuge or shelter. It is one of several names, such as Refugio, that honor the Virgin Mary under the title Nuestra Señora del Refugio (Our Lady of Refuge). The name was historically used primarily in Spanish-speaking Catholic communities, particularly in the American Southwest and Mexico during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its usage peaked in the United States around 1887 and has since declined significantly.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Refi, Gia, Fugi
Sibling names for Refugia
Names that share Refugia's style, for a brother or sister.
