Ulysses
Ulysses was the 1201st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 169 babies. Its best year was 1895, when it ranked 272nd; the most babies were born in 1999 (272). Over the last ten years it has moved down 116 places. More babies were named Ulysses in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #1,201 boys, down 133 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 169boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1999272 babies
- Total since 1880
- 18,680babies recorded
Ulysses popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 25 since 1921.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,201 | 169 |
| 2020 | #1,068 | 188 |
| 2010 | #1,055 | 183 |
| 2000 | #769 | 217 |
| 1990 | #752 | 184 |
| 1980 | #799 | 121 |
| 1970 | #787 | 110 |
| 1960 | #638 | 150 |
| 1950 | #517 | 168 |
| 1940 | #467 | 154 |
| 1930 | #489 | 148 |
| 1920 | #440 | 190 |
| 1910 | #413 | 43 |
| 1900 | #384 | 34 |
| 1890 | #310 | 32 |
| 1880 | #317 | 29 |
How popular is Ulysses, counting every spelling?
Ulysses is a spelling of Ulises, a name family that ranked #611 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,201 for Ulysses on its own. Together these spellings went to 449 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulises | 213 | #1,043 | 1,152 |
| Ulysses | 169 | #1,201 | 862 |
| Ulices | 43 | #2,936 | 257 |
| Ulisses | 16 | #5,828 | 84 |
| Ulyses | 8 | #9,638 | 33 |
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 Ulysses?
169 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ulysses (0.05 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Ulysses 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 50 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ulysses.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ulysses?
About 11,500 people born in the US named Ulysses are alive today, with a median age of 33; half are between 17 and 57. That makes Ulysses mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
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.
Ulysses by state
How common Ulysses was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Arizona (2.5×), California (2.4×), Colorado (2.3×), Washington (1.8×), Texas (1.6×). In 37 states fewer than five boys 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 Ulysses: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ulysses, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Ulysses
How popular is the name Ulysses?
Ulysses was the 1201st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 169 babies. Its best year was 1895, when it ranked 272nd; the most babies were born in 1999 (272). Over the last ten years it has moved down 116 places. More babies were named Ulysses in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Ulysses a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Ulysses in the US.
Where is Ulysses most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ulysses was most common in Arizona (0.24 per 1,000 boys), followed by California and Colorado.