Zuleica
A name of Arabic origin meaning "brilliant, splendid woman".
Name Census estimates that about 166 living Americans carry the first name Zuleica. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zuleica today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zuleica births was 1992 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zuleica. 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
166
~ 1 in 2,064,785 Americans
Peak year
1992
18 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2016 SSA rank
#14,322
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Zuleica: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zuleica from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 92 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zuleica 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 Zuleica during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zuleicas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Zuleica
The name Zuleica is a feminine given name with Arabic origins. It is derived from the Arabic word "zalikha," which means "bright" or "shining." The name can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the early days of the Islamic era.
In Arabic literature, Zuleica is mentioned in the famous Persian epic poem "Layla and Majnun," written by the 12th-century poet Nizami Ganjavi. The poem tells the tragic love story of Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, known as Majnun (the madman), and his beloved Layla. Zuleica is portrayed as a beautiful woman who falls in love with Majnun.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Zuleica is Zuleica bint Yahya ibn Khakan, a 9th-century Arab princess and poet from Andalusia, Spain. She was renowned for her intelligence and literary talents.
Another notable figure with the name Zuleica was Zuleica Rodríguez de Núñez (1804-1865), a Venezuelan poet and activist who played a significant role in the country's independence movement. Her poetry and writings advocated for women's rights and social reforms.
In the 19th century, Zuleica Jere (1857-1945) was a prominent British actress and singer who performed in various theatrical productions and operettas. She was particularly known for her roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
Zuleica Hernandez (1921-2005) was a Mexican-American actress and dancer. She appeared in several Hollywood films during the 1940s and 1950s, including "Ride the Pink Horse" and "The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold."
Zuleica Romay Santos (1950-2022) was a Cuban singer and actress who gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. She was widely recognized for her contributions to the Cuban music scene and her performances in various television shows and films.
While the name Zuleica has Arabic roots, it has been used across various cultures and regions throughout history. Its meaning of "bright" or "shining" has likely contributed to its enduring appeal as a feminine given name.
People
Zuleica + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zuleica as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zuleica: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zuleica?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 166 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zuleica 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 2,064,785 US residents.
Is Zuleica a common name?
We classify Zuleica as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 170 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zuleica most popular?
The single biggest year for Zuleica was 1992, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zuleica is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zuleica a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zuleica 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.