Ullr
A Norse masculine name derived from the god Ullr of archery, skiing, and hunting.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Ullr. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ullr today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ullr births was 2019 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ullr. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ullr. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2019
5 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2019 SSA rank
#13,972
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Ullr: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ullr 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 Ullr during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ullr
The name Ullr originates from Old Norse mythology and is derived from the word "ullar," which means "glory" or "splendor." It is the name of the Norse god of hunting, archery, and skiing, who was particularly revered in medieval Scandinavia.
Ullr was one of the most important gods in the Norse pantheon, as he was associated with crucial aspects of survival in the harsh Nordic climate, such as hunting and winter sports. His name was likely invoked by hunters and skiers seeking success and protection during their activities.
The earliest written record of the name Ullr can be found in the Prose Edda, a 13th-century Icelandic text that compiled and preserved Norse mythology. In this text, Ullr is described as a handsome and skilled archer, who was also considered a god of dueling and shield-brandishing.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Ullr was Ullr Þorleifsson, a 10th-century Icelandic chieftain and goði (chieftain of a pagan temple) from the Saga of the Sworn Brothers. This saga recounts the exploits of Ullr and his contemporaries in the context of Iceland's conversion to Christianity.
Another notable figure named Ullr was Ullr Andvarafors, a legendary Swedish ski pioneer from the late 19th century. He was renowned for his exceptional skiing abilities and is credited with developing many modern skiing techniques.
In more recent history, Ullr Mørkved (1901-1994) was a Norwegian cross-country skier and Olympic champion. He won a gold medal in the 4x10 km relay at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Ullr Thorsen (1896-1979) was a Norwegian-American artist and illustrator, best known for his distinctive woodcut prints depicting scenes from Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore.
Lastly, Ullr Eriksson (1936-2018) was a Swedish actor and director who had a prolific career in both film and theater. He is particularly remembered for his collaborations with legendary Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.
People
Ullr + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ullr as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with U
Other first names starting with U with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ullr: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ullr?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ullr 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 Ullr a common name?
We classify Ullr 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, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ullr most popular?
The single biggest year for Ullr was 2019, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ullr is about 7 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 Ullr in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ullr a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ullr in the SSA data are male. 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 Ullr still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ullr 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 Ullr 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 Ullr?
See how many people share the name Ullr on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.