Rilla
A feminine diminutive of Marilla, an English variation of the name Muriel.
Name Census estimates that about 554 living Americans carry the first name Rilla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rilla today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rilla births was 1914 (56 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rilla. 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
554
~ 1 in 618,690 Americans
Peak year
1914
56 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,856
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Rilla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rilla from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 381 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rilla 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 Rilla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rillas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Georgia, Alabama, Missouri recorded the most babies named Rilla, while Mississippi, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 32 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rilla
The name Rilla is a diminutive form of the feminine given name Priscilla, which originated from the Latin word "prisca", meaning "ancient" or "venerable". Priscilla was a Roman name that gained popularity among early Christians due to its association with Priscilla, a prominent figure in the New Testament.
The name Rilla emerged as a shortened version of Priscilla, likely in the 19th century when it became fashionable to use diminutive or pet forms of longer names. It was particularly popular in English-speaking countries, especially in the United States and Canada.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rilla can be found in the novel "Rilla of Ingleside" by Lucy Maud Montgomery, published in 1921. The book's protagonist, Rilla Blythe, was a fictional character set during World War I.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Rilla. One such person was Rilla Woolworth Winans (1889-1958), an American philanthropist and heiress to the Woolworth fortune. She was known for her charitable work and support of various arts organizations.
Another prominent figure with the name Rilla was Rilla Evelyn Crone (1899-1990), a Canadian author and educator. She wrote several books on Canadian history and was awarded the Order of Canada for her contributions to literature and education.
In the field of music, Rilla Dorney (1878-1956) was an American singer and vaudeville performer in the early 20th century. She was known for her performances in musical comedies and operettas.
Rilla Askew (born 1957) is an American novelist and short story writer. Her works often explore themes of social justice, racism, and the complexities of life in the American South. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her writing.
Lastly, Rilla Muse Self (1910-1989) was an American artist and educator. She was known for her abstract expressionist paintings and taught art at various universities throughout her career.
While the name Rilla may not be as common today as it once was, it has a rich history and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, reflecting its enduring charm and uniqueness.
People
Rilla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rilla as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rilla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rilla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 554 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rilla 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 618,690 US residents.
Is Rilla a common name?
We classify Rilla 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, 2,652 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rilla most popular?
The single biggest year for Rilla was 1914, when 56 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rilla is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rilla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rilla 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.