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👍 Ilse
♀ Girl
How to Pronounce Ilse
Pronounced IL-zah
🔊 Hear it /ˈɪl.zɑ/ Medium ⧉ copy
Meaning: German/Dutch short form of Elisabeth — from Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath' Medium ⧉ copy
In 30 seconds: Crisp and devout: Ilse is the German short form of Elisabeth — 'God is my oath'. Soft, vintage, and warm.
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Meaning German/Dutch short form of Elisabeth — from Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'
U.S. rank (2025) #3937 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births 37 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year 1993
Total births (all-time) ≈ 2,364
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Shop mom essentials Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data peak 1994 1914 2025 U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data .
History & Origin Ilse is a German and Dutch short form of Elisabeth — from Hebrew Elisheva , 'God is my oath'. A crisp, soft, vintage name across Germany and the Netherlands (said 'IL-zah').
In the U.S. it appears in German families. Rare, God-is-my-oath at the root, and vintage.
Did you know? Elisabeth means 'God is my oath' (Hebrew Elisheva) — Ilse is its crisp German and Dutch short form (said 'IL-zah'); soft and vintage.
Overall data confidence 78%
Variations Elsa Else Ilsa
Nicknames —
Famous Bearers Famous bearers coming soon. If you like Ilse… Elsa — a fellow Elisabeth short form Greta — another German short name Elise — lands in the same popularity range Jesse — shares Ilse's Hebrew roots Elyse — shares the -se ending Frequently Asked What does the name Ilse mean? Ilse is a German Elisabeth — 'God is my oath'.
How do you pronounce Ilse? It's said IL-zah /ˈɪl.zɑ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Ilse a boy or girl name? Ilse is a girl's name.
How popular is Ilse? Ilse is a rare name in the U.S.
