UK girl's name
Ilsa
A feminine name derived from Elizabeth, meaning "consecrated to God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ilsa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ilsa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 12 births.
This profile covers 147 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 146 living people in the UK are called Ilsa. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ilsa ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 12 girls were registered as Ilsa.
- • About 146 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ilsa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2006
12 births
Estimated living
146
2026
Meaning
What does Ilsa mean?
The name Ilsa has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically in the Old Norse and Old German tongues. It is derived from the roots "il" meaning "battle" or "fight" and "sa" meaning "victory" or "triumph." This combination suggests the name's meaning to be something along the lines of "battle victory" or "triumphant warrior."
The name Ilsa can be traced back to the medieval period, where it was a popular name among the Germanic tribes and peoples of Northern Europe. It was often given to children with the hope that they would grow to be strong and victorious individuals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ilsa can be found in the Old Norse sagas and legends, where it was borne by several valiant female characters. In the Icelandic Saga of Grettir the Strong, there is a character named Ilsa, who was known for her courage and resilience.
Throughout history, the name Ilsa has been carried by several notable figures. In the 11th century, Ilsa of Merseburg was a German noblewoman and abbess who played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of her time. Another prominent bearer of the name was Ilsa von Toggenburg, a 13th-century Swiss noblewoman who was known for her bravery and leadership during the battles against the Habsburgs.
In the realm of literature, the name Ilsa gained notoriety through the character of Ilsa Lund in the novel "Casablanca" by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison, which later inspired the iconic 1942 film of the same name starring Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart.
Other notable bearers of the name Ilsa include Ilsa Konrads (1913-1983), a Latvian-American artist and sculptor; Ilsa Barzetti (1907-1968), an Italian actress and dancer; and Ilsa Baronin von Aufseß (1888-1970), a German writer and feminist activist.
While the name Ilsa has its roots in the Germanic languages and cultures, it has since spread to various parts of the world and has been adapted and embraced by different communities, each adding their own unique cultural and linguistic nuances to its meaning and significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ilsa over time
The chart below shows babies named Ilsa registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ilsa, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ilsa by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ilsa was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4302 | 25 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4487 | 48 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2818 | 60 | 9 |
| 1990s | #3196 | 14 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Ilsa
- Isabella 58,822
- Isla 51,854
- Isabelle 46,163
- Imogen 33,758
- Ivy 23,306
- Isabel 20,895
- Isobel 19,706
- Iris 10,353
- India 8,371
- Iqra 4,452
- Indie 3,873
- Iona 3,682
FAQ
Ilsa: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ilsa in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ilsa was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Ilsa most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 12 babies registered as Ilsa in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ilsa?
A feminine name derived from Elizabeth, meaning "consecrated to God".
How many people are called Ilsa in the UK?
A total of 147 babies have been registered as Ilsa across the 27 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.