Pamila
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the Spanish verb "pamir" meaning "to graze".
Name Census estimates that about 552 living Americans carry the first name Pamila. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pamila today is around 66 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pamila births was 1958 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pamila. 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 Pamila is about 66 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pamilas were born before 1970.
People living today
552
~ 1 in 620,932 Americans
Peak year
1958
40 babies that year
Average age
66
years old
1984 SSA rank
#11,648
Tracked since 1941
Popularity
Pamila: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pamila from the 1940s through to the 1980s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 315 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pamila 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 Pamila during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Pamilas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. North Carolina, Ohio, California recorded the most babies named Pamila, while Texas, Oklahoma, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Pamila
The name Pamila is believed to have its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient language of India. It is a feminine name that likely emerged around the 5th century BCE during the Vedic period, one of the most significant eras in Indian history.
One of the earliest known references to the name Pamila can be found in the Mahabharata, a revered Sanskrit epic that dates back to the 8th or 9th century BCE. The name is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "pamila," which means "lovely" or "beautiful."
In ancient Hindu texts, the name Pamila was sometimes associated with the goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva and the embodiment of beauty, love, and devotion. This connection may have contributed to the name's popularity and positive connotations.
The earliest recorded individual with the name Pamila was a Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 7th century CE. Her collection of poetry, known as the "Pamila Kavya," is considered a significant literary work of that era.
Another notable figure named Pamila was a renowned Indian dancer who lived during the 10th century CE. She is credited with popularizing the classical dance form known as Bharatanatyam and is remembered for her graceful movements and artistic expression.
In the 12th century, a prominent Hindu philosopher and theologian named Pamila Devi wrote several influential treatises on Advaita Vedanta, a school of Hindu philosophy that emphasizes the unity of the individual soul with the ultimate reality.
During the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, a skilled calligrapher and artist named Pamila Banu gained recognition for her exquisite work, which adorned many royal courts and palaces.
In more recent times, Pamila Gupta, a pioneering Indian businesswoman born in 1938, became a trailblazer in the field of textile manufacturing and was instrumental in promoting traditional Indian crafts and textiles globally.
While the name Pamila has its roots in ancient Sanskrit and Hindu culture, it has also gained popularity in various parts of the world, often with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation. However, its underlying meaning and association with beauty and grace have remained consistent throughout its long history.
People
Pamila + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pamila as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pamila: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pamila?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 552 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pamila 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 620,932 US residents.
Is Pamila a common name?
We classify Pamila as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 755 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pamila most popular?
The single biggest year for Pamila was 1958, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pamila is about 66 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pamila a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pamila 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.