Priscillia
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "ancient" or "venerable".
Name Census estimates that about 332 living Americans carry the first name Priscillia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Priscillia today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Priscillia births was 1957 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Priscillia. 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
332
~ 1 in 1,032,393 Americans
Peak year
1957
14 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
2023 SSA rank
#17,025
Tracked since 1923
Popularity
Priscillia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Priscillia from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 82 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Priscillia 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 Priscillia 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 Priscillia
The name Priscillia has its roots in the Latin language, originating from the Roman name Prisca or Priscilla. This name was derived from the Latin word "priscus," meaning ancient or old. It's believed that the name was first used during the Roman Empire, around the 1st century AD.
Priscilla was a fairly common name among Roman women, particularly those from wealthy or noble families. It was considered a respectable and dignified name, often associated with wisdom and virtue. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the New Testament of the Bible, where Priscilla is mentioned as a prominent early Christian and a companion of the Apostle Paul.
In ancient Rome, a notable figure named Priscilla was the wife of the Roman Emperor Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasianus. She lived in the 1st century AD and was known for her intelligence and influence in the imperial court. Another famous Priscilla was a Roman martyr from the 3rd century AD, who was executed for her Christian faith during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian.
During the Middle Ages, the name Priscillia or its variants, such as Priscilla, remained in use, particularly among Christian communities. One notable figure was Priscilla, the wife of the Visigothic King Ataulf, who ruled in the early 5th century AD.
In the Renaissance period, the name gained popularity once again, with several notable women bearing the name. Priscilla Sottile was an Italian humanist and scholar from the 15th century, known for her contributions to the study of classical literature.
In the 17th century, Priscilla Mullins was a prominent figure among the Pilgrims who sailed to the New World on the Mayflower in 1620. She was one of the few survivors of the harsh first winter in Plymouth Colony and later married John Alden, a fellow Pilgrim.
As the name spread across Europe and the Americas, it continued to be used by various individuals throughout history. Priscilla Wakefield was an English writer and philanthropist from the 18th century, known for her educational works and advocacy for women's rights.
People
Priscillia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Priscillia 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
Priscillia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Priscillia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 332 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Priscillia 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 1,032,393 US residents.
Is Priscillia a common name?
We classify Priscillia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 438 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Priscillia most popular?
The single biggest year for Priscillia was 1957, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Priscillia is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Priscillia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Priscillia 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.