Given name & surname
Ilse
“my God is bountiful”·“God is my oath”·“My God is bountiful”
In German use, Ilse is a short form of Elisabeth. One interpretation is “God is my oath.” In German use, Ilse is a short form of Elizabeth. “God is my oath” is the etymological interpretation given for Elisabeth, the same name in a different spelling. “My God is bountiful” is another recorded interpretation, but the two should be kept distinct rather than blended into one literal translation.
Original GermanElisabeth
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Ilse carries the interpretation “my God is bountiful.” In German use, Ilse is a short form of Elisabeth. One interpretation is “God is my oath.” In German use, Ilse is a short form of Elizabeth. “God is my oath” is the etymological interpretation given for Elisabeth, the same name in a different spelling. “My God is bountiful” is another recorded interpretation, but the two should be kept distinct rather than blended into one literal translation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
In German use, Ilse is used as a shortened form of Elizabeth. In German use, Ilse is a short form of Elizabeth. The shared background comes through Elizabeth: English generally uses Elizabeth with a z, where many European languages retain Elisabeth with an s. Elisabeth is connected with Elisheba; its final element may have been reshaped through association with Hebrew shabbath, “sabbath.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1914. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In German use, Ilse is a short form of Elizabeth. The history of Elizabeth gives this family its wider story. The New Testament Elisabeth is the mother of John the Baptist. English royal associations include Elizabeth I and, in the twentieth century, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and her daughter Elizabeth II. Elizabeth’s familiar forms developed along several paths, including Eliza, Beth, Bess, Betty, Libby and Lizzie.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Ilse through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,401
- 0 boys · 2,401 girls
- Most popular year
- 1993
- 103 babies
- 2025
- 37
- #3,937 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +23%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 37 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,937 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 22.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,972 as a first name in 2020; 244 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ilse’s family of names
Ilse is a short form of Elizabeth. In German usage, Ilse shares a linguistic root with the Latvian form ILZE. In German usage, Ilse has a related form in Elisabeth.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ilse has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 15
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 41
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Isabellaequivalent
- Isabelleequivalent
- Isabelequivalent
- Izabellaequivalent
- Lisaequivalent
- Bettyequivalent
- Lizequivalent
- Lizaequivalent
Show 33 moreShow fewer
- Betsyequivalent
- Tinaequivalent
- Izabelequivalent
- Izabelaequivalent
- Lieslequivalent
- Lieselequivalent
- Elspethequivalent
- Elisabetequivalent
- Betinaequivalent
- Bettinaequivalent
- Elizabetequivalent
- Elisabettaequivalent
- Liisaequivalent
- Ilzecognate · Latvian
- Lieseequivalent
- Tineequivalent
- Liseequivalent
- Elizabetaequivalent
- Erzsébetequivalent
- Elžbietaequivalent
- Élisabethequivalent
- Ealisaidequivalent
- Liesbethequivalent
- Elesbedequivalent
- Elżbietaequivalent
- Iseequivalent
- Liisiequivalent
- Alžbětaequivalent
- Elizabetoequivalent
- Ísabellaequivalent
- Eskeequivalent
- Ilzaequivalent
- Ilselilequivalent
People named Ilse
- Ilse AichingerAustrian writer (1921–2016)
- Ilse DeLangeDutch country and pop singerborn 1977
- Ilse PaulisDutch rowerborn 1993
- Ilse SteppatGerman actress (1917–1969)
- Ilse WernerGerman actress (1921-2005)
- Ilse AignerGerman politicianborn 1964
- Ilse HeylenBelgian judokaborn 1977
- Ilse BingGerman photographer (1899-1998)
- Ilse Pausinfigure skater (1919–1999)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ilse, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lizbeth
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
>99% girls
Sarina
“princess”
>99% girls
Betsie
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
>99% girls
Betsi
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
>99% girls
Els
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
1% boys · 99% girls
Sady
“princess; lady”
>99% girls
Lies
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
21% boys · 79% girls
Erzsi
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
>99% girls