Milla
A feminine name of Slavic origin signifying "dear one" or "gracious".
Name Census estimates that about 2,010 living Americans carry the first name Milla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Milla today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Milla births was 2011 (144 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Milla. 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
- • Milla is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 16 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.0K
~ 1 in 170,525 Americans
Peak year
2011
144 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,250
Tracked since 1892
Popularity
Milla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Milla from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 908 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Milla 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 Milla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Millas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 20 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Milla, while North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 52 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Milla
The name Milla has its roots in several languages and cultures. It originated as a diminutive form of the Latin name Camilla, derived from the word "camillus," meaning a young attendant in religious ceremonies. The name Camilla itself is thought to have Etruscan origins, an ancient civilization that predated the Romans in Italy.
In ancient Roman mythology, Camilla was a legendary warrior maiden who fought alongside Aeneas in the Aeneid, an epic poem by Virgil. She was known for her incredible speed and skill with the bow and arrow. The name Camilla, and by extension Milla, became associated with strength, bravery, and independence.
The name Milla also has connections to the Germanic languages, where it may have originated as a shortened form of names like Mildritha or Mildred, both meaning "gentle strength." In this context, the name carries connotations of gentleness and kindness.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Milla can be found in the Domesday Book, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Mille," likely referring to a female landowner or tenant at the time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Milla, including:
1. Milla Jovovich (born 1975), a Ukrainian-American actress and model, known for her roles in the Resident Evil film series.
2. Milla Baldo (1927-2022), an Italian actress and comedian, best known for her work in Italian cinema and television.
3. Milla Handley (1949-2005), an American actress and singer, known for her roles in Broadway musicals and television shows.
4. Milla Jasmine (born 1992), a French reality television personality and social media influencer.
5. Milla Basset (born 1983), a Swedish singer and songwriter, best known for her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004.
The name Milla has transcended its ancient origins and continues to be a popular choice in various cultures, carrying with it a rich history and diverse meanings ranging from strength and bravery to gentleness and kindness.
People
Milla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Milla as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Milla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Milla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,010 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Milla 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 170,525 US residents.
Is Milla a common name?
We classify Milla as "Rare". It ranks above 93.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,096 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Milla most popular?
The single biggest year for Milla was 2011, when 144 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Milla is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Milla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Milla 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.