Dula
A feminine name of Swahili origin meaning "beloved precious one".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Dula. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dula today is around 102 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dula births was 1923 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dula. 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
- • The typical person named Dula is about 102 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dulas were born before 1934.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dula. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1923
15 babies that year
Average age
102
years old
1937 SSA rank
#4,415
Tracked since 1896
Popularity
Dula: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dula from the 1890s through to the 1930s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 72 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dula 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 Dula 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 Dula
Dula is a given name with roots tracing back to ancient India and the Sanskrit language. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "dula," which means "swing" or "to swing." It is believed to have originated around the 5th century BCE.
In Hindu mythology, the word "dula" is associated with the divine swing or cradle on which Lord Krishna, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, was rocked as an infant. This connection gives the name a spiritual and auspicious connotation.
The earliest recorded use of the name Dula dates back to the 7th century CE, where it appeared in ancient Hindu texts and inscriptions. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Dula Bhatta, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and philosopher who lived in the 8th century CE.
Throughout history, the name Dula has been borne by several notable figures, primarily in India and the surrounding regions. One such individual was Dula Singh (1572-1605), a Sikh warrior and commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Another notable bearer of the name was Dula Raja (1789-1858), a prominent ruler of the Maratha Empire in India. He was known for his military prowess and played a significant role in the Anglo-Maratha Wars.
In the realm of literature, Dula Charan Sanyal (1888-1915) was a Bengali poet and playwright whose works were celebrated for their lyrical beauty and social commentary.
Dula Vaidya (1882-1978) was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and social reformer. She actively participated in the Indian independence movement and worked tirelessly for the upliftment of women and the underprivileged.
While the name Dula has its origins in ancient India, it has also been adopted and used in other cultures and regions over time, although its popularity has remained relatively limited compared to other names of Indian origin.
People
Dula + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dula as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dula: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dula?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dula 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 Dula a common name?
We classify Dula 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, 154 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dula most popular?
The single biggest year for Dula was 1923, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dula is about 102 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dula a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dula 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.