Priscila
Priscila was the 2211th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 84 babies. Its best year was 2002, when it ranked 881st with 257 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 162 places. More babies were named Priscila in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Priscilla) from Prisca, 'old, ancient' (Latin) · Latin
- Rank in 2025
- #2,211 girls, down 212 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 84girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2002257 babies
- Total since 1880
- 4,897babies recorded
What does the name Priscila mean?
Priscila is a spelling of Priscilla, pronounced the same way, so it shares Priscilla's meaning and origin.
Priscilla is a Latin diminutive of Prisca, the feminine of the Roman surname Priscus, old or ancient. DMNES and Wiktionary agree on this; Wiktionary glosses priscus as former, ancient or old-fashioned. In the New Testament, Priscilla and her husband Aquila are Jewish Christians who work with the apostle Paul (Acts 18:2, Romans 16:3). DMNES notes that the name came into use with the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century; the Wycliffite Bible had spelled it Priscille.
Prīscilla (Latin, “diminutive of Prisca”)prīscus (Latin, “old, ancient, former”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Prisca, Cilla, Priscila, Prissy.
See also: Latin names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Priscilla', DMNES (Durham University)
- Acts 18:2 (New Testament), King James Version, via Bible Gateway, Bible Gateway (KJV, public domain)
- Romans 16:3 (New Testament), King James Version, via Bible Gateway, Bible Gateway (KJV, public domain)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Priscilla' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Priscila popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,211 | 84 |
| 2020 | #1,999 | 94 |
| 2010 | #1,487 | 152 |
| 2000 | #1,093 | 189 |
| 1990 | #2,249 | 57 |
| 1980 | #4,682 | 16 |
| 1970 | #6,857 | 7 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Priscila, counting every spelling?
Priscila is a spelling of Priscilla, a name family that ranked #484 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,211 for Priscila on its own. Together these spellings went to 658 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priscilla | 555 | #544 | 2,383 |
| Priscila | 84 | #2,211 | 398 |
| Pricilla | 13 | #8,235 | 48 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Priscila?
84 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Priscila (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Priscila born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 100 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Priscila.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Priscila?
About 4,800 people born in the US named Priscila are alive today, with a median age of 21; half are between 14 and 27. That makes Priscila mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Priscila by state
How common Priscila was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in California (1.9×), Texas (1.6×). In 43 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Priscila: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Priscila, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Priscila
What does Priscila mean?
Priscila is a spelling of Priscilla, which means “from Prisca, 'old, ancient' (Latin)” (Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Priscila?
Priscila was the 2211th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 84 babies. Its best year was 2002, when it ranked 881st with 257 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 162 places. More babies were named Priscila in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Priscila a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Priscila in the US.
Where is Priscila most popular?
In 2021–2025, Priscila was most common in California (0.09 per 1,000 girls), followed by Texas and Maryland.