UK girl's name
Liesel
A feminine name of German origin meaning "consecrated to God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Liesel is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Liesel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 5 births.
This profile covers 27 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2006 to 2022. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 27 living people in the UK are called Liesel. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Liesel ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 5 girls were registered as Liesel.
- • About 27 living people in the UK are estimated to have Liesel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2006
5 births
Estimated living
27
2026
Meaning
What does Liesel mean?
The name Liesel originates from the German language and has its roots in the medieval era. It is a diminutive form of the name Elizabeth, derived from the Germanic elements "el" meaning "god" and "liut" meaning "people" or "nation." The name Elizabeth itself was popularized by the biblical figure Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Liesel can be found in the 14th century German literature, where it was used as a nickname or pet form of Elizabeth. The variation "Liesl" was also commonly used during this time period in German-speaking regions.
In the 16th century, during the Protestant Reformation, the name Liesel gained popularity among the German Protestant communities as a way to honor the biblical Elizabeth while distancing themselves from the more Catholic-associated forms of the name.
One notable historical figure with the name Liesel was Liesel Wagner, a German operatic soprano who lived from 1883 to 1962. She was a prominent performer in the early 20th century and was particularly renowned for her interpretations of Wagnerian roles.
Another significant individual with the name Liesel was Liesel Landauer, a German-Jewish writer and translator who lived from 1925 to 2015. She survived the Holocaust and later became known for her translations of works by authors like Günter Grass and Max Frisch.
In the literary realm, the name Liesel gained widespread recognition through the character of Liesel Meminger, the protagonist of the novel "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, published in 2005. The book, set in Nazi Germany during World War II, tells the story of a young girl's love for books and the power of words in the face of adversity.
Liesel Pritzker, an American billionaire and philanthropist born in 1958, is another notable figure with this name. She is a member of the Pritzker family, known for their business ventures and charitable contributions.
Finally, Liesel Adler, a German-born American actress born in 1946, is also a notable bearer of the name. She has appeared in various films and television shows throughout her career.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Liesel over time
The chart below shows babies named Liesel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Liesel, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Liesel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Liesel 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 | #5669 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5410 | 10 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3991 | 14 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Liesel
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Liesel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Liesel in the UK right now?
In 2022, Liesel was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Liesel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 5 babies registered as Liesel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Liesel?
A feminine name of German origin meaning "consecrated to God".
How many people are called Liesel in the UK?
A total of 27 babies have been registered as Liesel across the 7 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.