Ursula
Girl name · #4666 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Ursula? In official American birth records, Ursula has been tracked continuously since 1881, giving it 144 years of documented American history.
Ursula is currently the #4666 girl name in the United States — 29 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3705, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 62,069 girls born in 2025 was named Ursula.
The 144-year story
Ursula first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1967, when 400 girls were named Ursula — good for #474 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Ursula per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ursula against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ursula in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ursula is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ursula will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ursula is most common
State-level data for Ursula is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Ursula
Statistically, parents drawn to Ursula tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Angelia, Twila, Deena, Sonja, and Sheila.
AngeliaTwilaDeenaSonjaSheilaTwylaDenaRosita
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ursula | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #4661 |
| 2024 | 25 | #5148 |
| 2023 | 39 | #3833 |
| 2022 | 25 | #5172 |
| 2021 | 34 | #4167 |
| 2020 | 28 | #4648 |
| 2019 | 23 | #5449 |
| 2018 | 29 | #4662 |
| 2017 | 33 | #4304 |
| 2016 | 30 | #4632 |
| 2015 | 41 | #3705 |
| 2014 | 24 | #5456 |
| 2013 | 30 | #4645 |
| 2012 | 27 | #5114 |
| 2011 | 26 | #5207 |
| 2010 | 32 | #4494 |
| 2009 | 39 | #3944 |
| 2008 | 24 | #5750 |
| 2007 | 38 | #4050 |
| 2006 | 30 | #4685 |
| 2005 | 26 | #4958 |
| 2004 | 34 | #4093 |
| 2003 | 47 | #3131 |
| 2002 | 31 | #4071 |
| 2001 | 44 | #3142 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ursula?
In official American birth records, the name Ursula first appeared in 1881 (over 144 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Ursula a popular girl name?
Ursula ranked #4666 among girls in 2025 with 29 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3705.
When was the name Ursula most popular?
Ursula peaked in 1967, when 400 American girls received the name (ranked #474 that year). Since 1967 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ursula?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 62,069 newborn American girls was named Ursula. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.