Hermila
A feminine given name of Spanish origin meaning "little lady" or "mistress".
Name Census estimates that about 149 living Americans carry the first name Hermila. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hermila today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hermila births was 1944 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hermila. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
149
~ 1 in 2,300,365 Americans
Peak year
1944
9 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2015 SSA rank
#17,455
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Hermila: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hermila from the 1920s through to the 2010s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 42 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hermila by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Hermila during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hermilas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hermila
The name Hermila is of Spanish origin, derived from the Latin name Hermilla, which in turn comes from the Roman family name Hermius. The name Hermius is believed to have its roots in the Greek word "herma," meaning a square pillar or statue.
In ancient Roman times, the name Hermilla was used as a feminine form of the masculine name Hermius. It was a relatively uncommon name, but there are records of its use during the Roman Empire period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hermila dates back to the 5th century AD, when a woman by that name was mentioned in a historical text from the region of Hispania (present-day Spain and Portugal). However, the details surrounding this individual are scarce.
In the Middle Ages, the name Hermila was occasionally used in Spain and Portugal, although it remained relatively rare. One notable figure was Hermila de Viladomat, a Spanish noblewoman who lived in the 13th century. She was known for her charitable works and contributions to the construction of a monastery in Barcelona.
During the Renaissance period, the name Hermila gained some popularity among the Spanish nobility. One example is Hermila de Mendoza, a Spanish noblewoman born in the late 15th century, who was known for her patronage of the arts and her involvement in the court of King Ferdinand II of Aragon.
In the 17th century, Hermila de la Cruz was a Spanish nun and mystic who founded a convent in Madrid. She was known for her spiritual writings and her dedication to religious life.
Another notable figure was Hermila Galindo, a Mexican feminist and political activist born in 1886. She played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution and fought for women's rights, education, and suffrage.
While the name Hermila has never been extremely popular, it has been used sporadically throughout history, primarily in Spanish-speaking regions. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Roman times, and it has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, religious figures, and activists.
People
Hermila + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hermila as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hermila: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hermila?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 149 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hermila going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,300,365 US residents.
Is Hermila a common name?
We classify Hermila as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 232 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hermila most popular?
The single biggest year for Hermila was 1944, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hermila is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hermila a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hermila in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.