Twilah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "little morning twilight".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Twilah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Twilah today is around 58 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Twilah births was 1919 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Twilah. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Twilah. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1919
5 babies that year
Average age
58
years old
1965 SSA rank
#7,470
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Twilah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Twilah from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Twilah 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 Twilah 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 Twilah
The name Twilah is believed to have originated in the ancient Celtic region of what is now the British Isles. It is thought to be derived from the Old Welsh words "twyll" meaning "twilight" and "ah" meaning "life." Thus, the name Twilah can be interpreted to mean "twilight life" or "life at twilight."
While the origins of the name are uncertain, it is known to have been used as far back as the 5th century AD. Some historical records suggest that Twilah was the name of a Celtic warrior woman who fought alongside her tribe against invading Roman legions. Unfortunately, details about her life and legacy are scarce.
The name Twilah fell out of widespread use during the Middle Ages but experienced a small resurgence in the 16th century. One notable individual from this period was Twilah Greenleaf, a renowned herbalist and midwife who lived in the English countryside from 1512 to 1586. Her book, "The Twilah Compendium of Herbs and Remedies," was widely circulated and served as an important reference for generations of healers.
In the 18th century, Twilah Beaumont (1724-1798) was a French aristocrat and patron of the arts. She hosted many of the era's most famous writers, artists, and philosophers in her Parisian salon, earning her the nickname "The Twilah of the Enlightenment."
The 19th century saw the birth of Twilah Nightingale (1820-1910), a British nurse who is credited with revolutionizing modern nursing practices. Her tireless work during the Crimean War and advocacy for better sanitation and patient care earned her widespread recognition and the sobriquet "The Lady with the Lamp."
In more recent times, Twilah Tharp (1941-) is an acclaimed American dancer, choreographer, and author. She has been a pioneering figure in modern dance and has created over 160 works for her own company as well as for major dance companies around the world.
While not a common name today, Twilah has a rich history and cultural significance, reflecting its roots in the ancient Celtic traditions and its association with notable figures throughout the centuries.
People
Twilah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Twilah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Twilah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Twilah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Twilah 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Twilah a common name?
We classify Twilah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 20 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Twilah most popular?
The single biggest year for Twilah was 1919, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Twilah is about 58 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Twilah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Twilah 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.