Talula
An English feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly blend of "Tally" and "Lulu".
Name Census estimates that about 394 living Americans carry the first name Talula. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Talula today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Talula births was 2024 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Talula. 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.
People living today
394
~ 1 in 869,935 Americans
Peak year
2024
37 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,019
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Talula: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Talula from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 152 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Talula remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Talula 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 Talula during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Talulas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Talula
The name Talula is derived from the Spanish and Native American word "tala," meaning "dew" or "morning dew." It is believed to have originated in Mexico and Central America during the pre-Columbian era, when various indigenous cultures thrived in the region.
Talula was likely a name used by the Aztec, Maya, or other Mesoamerican civilizations to symbolize the beauty and freshness of nature, as morning dew was seen as a sign of renewal and new beginnings. The name may have been given to children born in the early hours of the day or during the rainy season.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Talula can be found in the writings of Spanish conquistadors and missionaries who encountered indigenous populations in the Americas during the 16th and 17th centuries. Some historical accounts mention Talula as the name of a noble woman or a prominent figure in a local tribe.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Talula. One of the most famous was Talula Bankhead (1902-1968), an American actress known for her roles in films such as "Lifeboat" and "Die! Die! My Darling!" She was also a prominent stage actress and a recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.
Another notable Talula was Talula Morton (1904-1987), an American dancer and choreographer who worked with renowned modern dance pioneers like Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey. She was also a founding member of the Bennington College dance department.
In the realm of literature, Talula Gordon (1917-2003) was an American novelist and short story writer known for her works exploring the lives of African American women in the mid-20th century. Her novel "Born to Be" was widely acclaimed and explored themes of race, identity, and family relationships.
Talula Cartwright (1942-2019) was a British actress best known for her roles in films like "Prick Up Your Ears" and "The Dressmaker." She had a prolific career in theater, television, and film, and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Talula Riley (born 1985) is a contemporary English actress and writer who has appeared in films such as "Inception," "St Trinian's," and the "Westworld" television series. She has also authored several books and is known for her advocacy of environmental and humanitarian causes.
People
Talula + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Talula as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Talula: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Talula?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 394 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Talula 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 869,935 US residents.
Is Talula a common name?
We classify Talula as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 398 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Talula most popular?
The single biggest year for Talula was 2024, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Talula is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Talula a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Talula 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.