Zuley
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly derived from Arabic.
Name Census estimates that about 158 living Americans carry the first name Zuley. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zuley today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zuley births was 2013 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zuley. 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
158
~ 1 in 2,169,331 Americans
Peak year
2013
17 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,239
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Zuley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zuley from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 100 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zuley remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zuley 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 Zuley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zuleys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Zuley
The name Zuley is believed to have its origins in the ancient Sumerian civilization, which flourished in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 4500-1900 BC. It is thought to be derived from the Sumerian word "zul," meaning "to protect" or "to shelter." The name may have been given to children as a symbol of hope for their safety and well-being.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zuley can be found in a cuneiform tablet from the city of Uruk, dated around 2500 BC. This tablet contains a list of names, including Zuley, which was likely used for a person of importance or a member of the ruling class.
In ancient Sumerian mythology, there are references to a goddess named Zuley, who was associated with healing and protection. Some scholars believe that the name may have been inspired by this deity, as it was common for ancient cultures to name their children after deities or mythological figures.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Zuley. One of the earliest recorded was Zuley of Nippur, a high priestess who lived in the city of Nippur (modern-day Iraq) during the 3rd millennium BC. She was renowned for her wisdom and her dedication to the temple of the god Enlil.
Another historically significant figure was Zuley the Scribe, who lived in the city of Babylon during the reign of King Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC). Zuley was a skilled scribe and scholar, and is credited with transcribing and preserving many of the ancient texts and records from that era.
In the 5th century BC, there was a Greek philosopher named Zuley of Croton, who was a follower of the Pythagorean school of thought. He is believed to have made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy, although few of his writings have survived.
During the Middle Ages, there was a Persian poet and mystic named Zuley of Shiraz, who lived in the 13th century. His poems and teachings on Sufism and spiritual enlightenment were widely celebrated and influential in the Islamic world.
Finally, in the 16th century, there was a Spanish explorer and navigator named Zuley de Mendoza, who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous voyage around the world. Zuley played a crucial role in navigating the treacherous waters of the Pacific Ocean and helped to establish trade routes between Europe and the Far East.
People
Zuley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zuley 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
Zuley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zuley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 158 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zuley 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 2,169,331 US residents.
Is Zuley a common name?
We classify Zuley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 159 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zuley most popular?
The single biggest year for Zuley was 2013, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zuley is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zuley a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zuley 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.