Ilse
Ilse is a Germanic feminine given name. It is technically a German diminutive of Elisabeth, functioning as a given name in its own right chiefly in Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa and all of the Scandinavian countries including Finland.
Meaning & Origin of Ilse
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ilse is a Germanic feminine given name. It is technically a German diminutive of Elisabeth, functioning as a given name in its own right chiefly in Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa and all of the Scandinavian countries including Finland.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ilse
Ilse first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1914, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 103 Ilses were born — ranking #1,518 that year. As of 2026, Ilse ranks #4,572 for baby girls with 30 births, gradually rising (+8%). In total, more than 2K Ilses have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Ilse
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Ilse Aichinger (1921–2016), Austrian writer
- Ilse Everlien Berardo (born 1955), German theologian
- Ilse Barea-Kulcsar (1902–1973), Austrian journalist, translator, writer and communist activist
- Ilse Bing (1899–1998), German photographer
- Ilse Braun (1909–1979), one of two sisters of Eva Braun
- Ilse DeLange (born 1977), Dutch singer
- Ilse Dörffeldt (1912–1992), German Olympic sprinter
- Ilse Fischer (born 1975), Austrian mathematician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Ilse
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ilse is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ilse
What does the name Ilse mean?
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In which U.S. states is Ilse most popular?
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About the name Ilse
Ilse is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Ilse's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #1,511. Use the chart and map above to compare Ilse's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1993 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.