Ulma
Of unknown origin, possibly derived from an Old German root meaning "nation's protection".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Ulma. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ulma today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ulma births was 1903 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ulma. 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 Ulma. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1903
7 babies that year
Average age
-
1925 SSA rank
#5,705
Tracked since 1903
Popularity
Ulma: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ulma from the 1900s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ulma 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 Ulma 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 Ulma
The given name Ulma has its origins in ancient Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages in the world, dating back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "ulka," which means "meteor" or "shooting star." The name was likely given to children born during a particularly spectacular celestial event, such as a meteor shower.
In ancient Hindu texts, the name Ulma is mentioned as one of the names of the goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. It is believed that the name was chosen for its association with celestial bodies, as Parvati was seen as a representation of divine feminine energy.
The earliest recorded use of the name Ulma can be traced back to the 5th century BCE in ancient Indian inscriptions and records. One notable figure from this era was Ulma, a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of logic and reasoning.
During the Gupta Empire, which ruled over large parts of the Indian subcontinent from the 4th to the 6th century CE, the name Ulma gained popularity among the ruling elite. Ulma, a courtesan and renowned dancer, was a prominent figure at the court of Emperor Chandragupta II, known for her beauty and artistic talents.
In the 12th century, an influential Muslim scholar and poet named Ulma ibn Abi al-Fawaris emerged in Persia (modern-day Iran). His works on Sufism and mystical poetry had a lasting impact on the literary traditions of the region.
Another notable figure in history was Ulma Begum, a 16th-century Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Akbar. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her involvement in the governance of the Mughal Empire during her father's reign.
In the 19th century, Ulma was also the name of a prominent Italian composer and violinist who contributed to the development of the Romantic musical style in Europe. Her compositions and performances were widely celebrated during her lifetime.
People
Ulma + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ulma 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
Ulma: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ulma?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ulma 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 - US residents.
Is Ulma a common name?
We classify Ulma as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 17 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ulma most popular?
The single biggest year for Ulma was 1903, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ulma is about 0 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 Ulma in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ulma a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ulma 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 Ulma still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ulma 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 Ulma 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 people share the name Ulma?
Want to know how many Americans are named Ulma? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.