Ulyssa
A feminine name likely deriving from the Greek mythology figure Ulysses.
Name Census estimates that about 217 living Americans carry the first name Ulyssa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ulyssa today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ulyssa births was 2000 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ulyssa. 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
217
~ 1 in 1,579,513 Americans
Peak year
2000
19 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,001
Tracked since 1984
Popularity
Ulyssa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ulyssa from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 85 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ulyssa 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 Ulyssa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ulyssas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ulyssa
The name Ulyssa is a variant of the name Ulysses, which has its origins in Greek mythology. Ulysses was the Latin name for the Greek hero Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca and the protagonist of Homer's epic poem, the Odyssey. The name Odysseus is derived from the Greek word "odyssomai," meaning "to hate" or "to be hated."
The name Ulyssa likely emerged as a feminine form of the name Ulysses during the Renaissance period, when there was a renewed interest in classical literature and mythology. It was a way to honor the heroic figure of Odysseus while creating a version of the name suitable for women.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Ulyssa can be found in the works of the English playwright William Shakespeare. In his play "Troilus and Cressida," written around 1602, Shakespeare includes a character named Ulysses, referring to the Greek hero.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Ulyssa. One such person was Ulyssa Malinen (1892-1983), a Finnish author and poet who wrote extensively about Finnish folklore and mythology. Her works helped preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Finland.
Another famous Ulyssa was Ulyssa Nardin (1823-1876), a Swiss watchmaker and entrepreneur who founded the prestigious watchmaking company Ulysse Nardin in 1846. The company is still renowned today for its high-quality timepieces and has a rich legacy in the world of horology.
In the field of art, Ulyssa Renee Higgitt (1918-1994) was a prominent American painter and printmaker known for her abstract expressionist works. Her art was widely exhibited and can be found in the collections of major museums across the United States.
Ulyssa Winblad (born 1950) is an American software entrepreneur and co-founder of the venture capital firm Hummer Winblad Venture Partners. She has been a influential figure in the technology industry and has supported numerous innovative companies throughout her career.
Finally, Ulyssa Humphreys (1927-2011) was a British writer and scholar who specialized in the study of ancient Greek literature and philosophy. Her translations and commentaries on works by Plato, Aristotle, and other classical authors were highly respected and contributed significantly to the understanding of these texts.
People
Ulyssa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ulyssa 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
Ulyssa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ulyssa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 217 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ulyssa 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 1,579,513 US residents.
Is Ulyssa a common name?
We classify Ulyssa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 221 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ulyssa most popular?
The single biggest year for Ulyssa was 2000, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ulyssa is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ulyssa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ulyssa 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.