Prisila
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "ancient" or "venerable".
Name Census estimates that about 773 living Americans carry the first name Prisila. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Prisila today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Prisila births was 2002 (62 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Prisila. 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
773
~ 1 in 443,408 Americans
Peak year
2002
62 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2020 SSA rank
#16,955
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Prisila: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Prisila from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 458 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
Prisila 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 Prisila during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Prisilas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, Texas, Arizona recorded the most babies named Prisila, while Nevada, Illinois, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 71 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Prisila
The name Prisila is a feminine given name with roots in the Latin language. It is derived from the Latin word "prisca," which means "ancient" or "old-fashioned." The name likely emerged during the Roman Empire, when Latin was the dominant language in much of Europe and the Mediterranean region.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Prisila can be traced back to the 1st century AD, in the New Testament of the Bible. In the Book of Acts, a woman named Prisila, also known as Priscilla, is mentioned as a tentmaker and a companion of the apostle Paul. She and her husband, Aquila, are credited with helping to establish the early Christian church in various cities.
During the Middle Ages, the name Prisila became more widespread across Europe, particularly in areas influenced by the Catholic Church. It was often associated with piety and devotion, as the biblical Prisila was known for her faith and commitment to spreading Christianity.
In the 16th century, Prisila became a popular name among the Puritans in England. One notable figure with this name was Prisila Mullins, who was among the passengers on the Mayflower voyage to the New World in 1620. She and her husband, John Alden, were among the founding settlers of Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts.
Another famous bearer of the name Prisila was Prisila Wakefield, an English author and philanthropist who lived from 1751 to 1832. She wrote several books on education and founded a school for girls in Nottingham, England.
In the 19th century, the name Prisila gained popularity in the United States. One notable American with this name was Prisila Bright Holten, who was born in 1828 and became a prominent advocate for women's rights and the abolition of slavery.
Throughout history, the name Prisila has been associated with strength, resilience, and a commitment to principles. While its popularity has fluctuated over time, it remains a beautiful and meaningful name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Prisila + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Prisila 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
Prisila: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Prisila?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 773 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Prisila 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 443,408 US residents.
Is Prisila a common name?
We classify Prisila as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 787 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Prisila most popular?
The single biggest year for Prisila was 2002, when 62 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Prisila is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Prisila a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Prisila 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.