Ureka
A feminine name with uncertain origins, perhaps derived from "eureka" (Greek for "I found it").
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Ureka. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ureka today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ureka births was 1974 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ureka. 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 Ureka. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1974
5 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1981 SSA rank
#12,104
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Ureka: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ureka from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 10 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Ureka remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ureka 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 Ureka 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 Ureka
The given name Ureka is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek language, with roots tracing back to the 5th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "heureka," which translates to "I have found it!" This exclamation is famously attributed to the ancient Greek mathematician and inventor Archimedes, who is said to have uttered these words upon discovering the principle of buoyancy while taking a bath.
The name Ureka is closely associated with the concept of discovery, innovation, and intellectual breakthroughs. In ancient Greek mythology, Ureka was also the name of a minor goddess associated with the pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment. While not widely referenced in ancient texts or religious scriptures, the name carried a symbolic weight in the Greek philosophical tradition.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ureka dates back to the 3rd century BC, when it was used for a female philosopher and scholar from the city of Alexandria in ancient Egypt. Another notable figure bearing this name was Ureka of Argos, a renowned sculptor who lived in the 2nd century BC and was renowned for her intricate marble statues depicting scenes from Greek mythology.
Throughout history, several individuals have carried the name Ureka, although it has remained relatively uncommon. One notable example is Ureka Zabulon (1432-1498), a female physician and herbalist from the Italian city-state of Venice, who was renowned for her expertise in traditional medicine and her contributions to the study of medicinal plants.
Another prominent figure was Ureka Komnene (1083-1148), a Byzantine princess and scholar who played a significant role in the preservation and transmission of ancient Greek literature during the Middle Ages. She was known for her vast knowledge and her patronage of intellectuals and artists at the imperial court in Constantinople.
In the realm of art and literature, the name Ureka was borne by Ureka Rembrandt (1606-1669), a Dutch painter and printmaker who was a contemporary and close friend of the famous artist Rembrandt van Rijn. Her works, particularly her etchings and engravings, were highly acclaimed during her lifetime and are now considered valuable examples of the Dutch Golden Age of painting.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Ureka, a name that has been associated with intellectual curiosity, discovery, and the pursuit of knowledge across various cultures and epochs.
People
Ureka + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ureka 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
Ureka: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ureka?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ureka 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Ureka a common name?
We classify Ureka as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ureka most popular?
The single biggest year for Ureka was 1974, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ureka is about 48 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 Ureka in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ureka a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ureka 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 Ureka still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ureka 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 Ureka 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 Ureka?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.