Thula
Feminine name of Zulu origin meaning "to console or comfort someone".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Thula. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Thula today is around 111 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thula births was 1921 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thula. 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 Thula is about 111 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Thulas were born before 1925.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Thula. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1921
12 babies that year
Average age
111
years old
1935 SSA rank
#4,832
Tracked since 1886
Popularity
Thula: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Thula from the 1880s through to the 1930s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 52 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Thula remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Thula 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 Thula during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Thulas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Thula
The name Thula has its origins in the Nguni languages spoken by various ethnic groups in southern Africa, primarily the Zulu and Xhosa peoples. It is believed to have derived from the isiZulu verb "thula," which means "to be quiet" or "to be still."
In the Zulu culture, the name Thula is often given to children with the hope that they will embody the qualities of calmness, serenity, and tranquility. It is a name that carries a sense of peace and inner strength, reflecting the desire for the child to have a balanced and composed demeanor.
While the name Thula does not have a direct historical reference in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been a part of the Zulu and Xhosa naming traditions for centuries. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, during the reign of the Zulu King Shaka Zulu.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Thula was Thula kaNogandaya, a prominent Zulu chief who lived in the early 19th century and played a significant role in the expansion of the Zulu Kingdom under King Shaka. Another notable figure from this era was Thula kaMveli, a respected Zulu warrior and advisor to King Dingane, who succeeded Shaka as the ruler of the Zulu nation.
In more recent history, the name Thula has been carried by several prominent individuals from South Africa. Thula Sizwe Mnqayi (1935-2009) was a renowned South African sculptor and artist, whose works celebrated the rich cultural heritage of his people. Thula Baba Msane (1919-2008) was a respected teacher and community leader who played a pivotal role in the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.
Another notable figure was Thula Mkhize (1944-2003), a South African novelist and poet who used her literary works to explore themes of identity, resistance, and the complexities of life under apartheid. Thula Mamba (born 1974) is a contemporary South African actor and television personality, known for his roles in various popular TV series and films.
Thula Sindi (born 1983) is a South African singer and songwriter who has gained popularity for her soulful and evocative music, often drawing inspiration from her cultural roots and personal experiences.
People
Thula + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thula 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
Thula: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thula?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thula 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Thula a common name?
We classify Thula as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 164 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Thula most popular?
The single biggest year for Thula was 1921, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thula is about 111 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Thula in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thula a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thula 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.
Is Thula still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thula in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Thula can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Thula?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.