Isabel
A feminine Spanish name derived from Elizabeth, meaning "devoted to God."
Name Census estimates that about 100,162 living Americans carry the first name Isabel. It sits at #167 in the overall ranking, outside the top 50 but still well-represented. It is a predominantly female name (98.6% of registrations). The average person named Isabel today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Isabel births was 2006 (4,019 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Isabel. 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.
Key insights
- • Although Isabel is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 1,827 boys registered with the name since 1880.
People living today
100K
~ 1 in 3,422 Americans
Peak year
2006
4,019 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2022 SSA rank
#167
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Isabel
Isabel leans heavily female at 98.6% of total registrations, but 1,827 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Isabel as a male name
- Ranked #13,087 in 2022
- 5 male births in 2022
- Peak: 1927 (40 births)
Isabel as a female name
- Ranked #167 in 2024
- 1,820 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2006 (4,009 births)
Popularity
Isabel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Isabel from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 36,121 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Isabel 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 Isabel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Isabels live
The SSA's state-level files cover 51 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Isabel, while Wyoming, Delaware, Vermont recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 2,383 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Isabel
The name Isabel is derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, which means "God is my oath." The name has its roots in the medieval Spanish and Portuguese forms of the name Elizabeth, such as Isabel and Isabela.
The name gained popularity in the 12th century when it was borne by Isabel of Hainault, the wife of Philip II of France. Isabel of Aragon, born in 1271, was a powerful queen of Portugal who helped bring stability to the kingdom during her reign.
In the 13th century, the name Isabel was used by Isabel de Valois, the third wife of King Richard II of England. She was born in 1389 and was a prominent figure in the Wars of the Roses.
One of the most famous bearers of the name was Isabella I of Castile, born in 1451, who ruled jointly with her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon. Together, they are known as the Catholic Monarchs, and their marriage united Spain and marked the beginning of the Spanish Empire.
In the 16th century, Isabel de Portugal, born in 1503, was a powerful and influential figure as the wife of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. She played a significant role in the political and cultural affairs of the time.
Another notable Isabel was Isabel Clara Eugenia, born in 1566, who was the co-sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands and an influential patron of the arts and culture during the Dutch Revolt.
These are just a few examples of the many notable women throughout history who bore the name Isabel, a name that has been associated with power, strength, and cultural influence across various eras and regions.
People
Isabel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Isabel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Isabel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Isabel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 100,162 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Isabel 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 3,422 US residents.
Is Isabel a common name?
We classify Isabel as "Common". It ranks above 99.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 132,214 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Isabel most popular?
The single biggest year for Isabel was 2006, when 4,019 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Isabel is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Isabel a female name?
Yes, 98.6% of people registered as Isabel 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.