Ursula
From Latin Ursula, the name of a fourth century saint.
Every Ursula since 1881 — 14,811 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ursula
Ursula is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,747 in 2025 with 29 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 14,811 American babies have been named Ursula. Its peak came in 1967, when 400 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ursula stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ursula year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #4,747 |
| 2024 | 25 | #5,282 |
| 2023 | 39 | #3,906 |
| 2022 | 25 | #5,294 |
| 2021 | 34 | #4,235 |
| 2020 | 28 | #4,747 |
| 2019 | 23 | #5,603 |
| 2018 | 29 | #4,762 |
| 2017 | 33 | #4,376 |
| 2016 | 30 | #4,726 |
| 2015 | 41 | #3,756 |
| 2014 | 24 | #5,620 |
| 2013 | 30 | #4,745 |
| 2012 | 27 | #5,246 |
| 2011 | 26 | #5,348 |
| 2010 | 32 | #4,601 |
| 2009 | 39 | #4,009 |
| 2008 | 24 | #5,944 |
| 2007 | 38 | #4,124 |
| 2006 | 30 | #4,801 |
| 2005 | 26 | #5,107 |
| 2004 | 34 | #4,167 |
| 2003 | 47 | #3,184 |
| 2002 | 31 | #4,175 |
| 2001 | 44 | #3,194 |
| 2000 | 44 | #3,164 |
| 1995 | 49 | #2,586 |
| 1990 | 97 | #1,576 |
| 1985 | 131 | #1,108 |
| 1980 | 166 | #912 |
| 1975 | 261 | #609 |
| 1970 | 335 | #555 |
| 1965 | 355 | #505 |
| 1960 | 134 | #919 |
| 1955 | 144 | #808 |
| 1950 | 77 | #1,052 |
| 1945 | 78 | #855 |
| 1940 | 86 | #751 |
| 1935 | 115 | #610 |
| 1930 | 141 | #578 |
| 1925 | 144 | #608 |
| 1920 | 160 | #567 |
| 1915 | 144 | #525 |
| 1910 | 55 | #559 |
| 1905 | 50 | #484 |
| 1900 | 41 | #530 |
| 1895 | 39 | #470 |
| 1890 | 26 | #523 |
| 1885 | 19 | #499 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Ursula
- Ursula von der Leyen Politician · b. 1958
- Ursula Andress Actor · b. 1936
- Ursula K. Le Guin Writer · 1929–2018
- Ursula Kuczynski Writer · 1907–2000
- Ursula Franklin Physicist · 1921–2016
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ursula mean?
From Latin Ursula, the name of a fourth century saint.
How popular is the name Ursula in 2025?
Ursula ranked #4,747 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 29 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ursula?
14,811 babies have been named Ursula in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ursula most popular?
Ursula peaked in 1967, when 400 newborns received the name.
Is Ursula a boy or girl name?
Ursula is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ursula rising or falling?
Ursula has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Ursula?
Well-known people named Ursula include Ursula von der Leyen (politician), Ursula Andress (actor), Ursula K. Le Guin (writer).