Ludella
A feminine name with uncertain origins, possibly derived from Latin.
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Ludella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ludella today is around 90 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ludella births was 1919 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ludella. 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
- • The typical person named Ludella is about 90 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ludellas were born before 1946.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ludella. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
1919
9 babies that year
Average age
90
years old
1944 SSA rank
#4,979
Tracked since 1902
Popularity
Ludella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ludella from the 1900s through to the 1940s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 42 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ludella 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 Ludella during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ludella
The given name Ludella is believed to have originated from the Latin language, with its roots likely dating back to the Roman Empire era. The name is a diminutive form of the Latin name Luda or Ludus, which means "to play" or "game." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with a playful or joyful connotation.
In terms of historical references, there are no significant mentions of the name Ludella in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records. However, variations of the name, such as Ludovica or Ludovica, were more commonly used during the medieval period in certain European regions.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Ludella can be traced back to the late 19th century and early 20th century in some parts of Europe and North America. One of the notable individuals bearing this name was Ludella Josephine Stephens (1888-1972), an American educator and civil rights activist from Ohio.
Throughout history, there have been a few other notable individuals with the first name Ludella. Ludella Kimberly Awad (1920-2008) was a British author and playwright known for her works on Middle Eastern themes. Ludella Mabel Wright (1904-1990) was an American artist and painter who gained recognition for her landscape and still-life paintings.
Another person of note was Ludella Peck (1905-1991), an American psychologist and author who contributed to the field of child psychology and parenting education. Lastly, Ludella Kieninger (1907-1990) was a Canadian philanthropist and community leader who dedicated her efforts to various charitable causes and organizations.
While the name Ludella may not have a widespread or well-documented history, it carries a unique charm and the potential for new interpretations and associations in modern times.
People
Ludella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ludella as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ludella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ludella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ludella 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 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Ludella a common name?
We classify Ludella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 118 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ludella most popular?
The single biggest year for Ludella was 1919, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ludella is about 90 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ludella in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ludella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ludella 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.
Is Ludella still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ludella in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ludella can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Ludella?
Find out how many Americans are named Ludella on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.