Fun Facts About the Name Ulla
- 105 babies named Ulla: U.S. records list 105 babies given the name Ulla from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ulla Mean?
Ulla is a feminine name used mainly in Scandinavia and German-speaking Europe. Its usual etymology is as a short form of Ulrika (Swedish) or Ulrike (German), the feminine forms of Ulrich. The older name Uodalrīh is Old High German, formed from uodal, "heritage, ancestral property," and rīhhi, "power, ruler"; it is conventionally interpreted as "heritage ruler." In this derivation Ulla has no separate literal meaning - it is a shortened, familiar form of the longer name.
In German, Ulla is also used as a short form of Ursula. That name comes from Latin Ursula, a diminutive of ursa, "bear," and means "little bear." This is a separate nickname derivation from the Ulrika/Ulrike one, though both produce the same short form.
Ulla Name History & Origins
In its Scandinavian use, Ulla belongs to the older Germanic name family represented by Ulrich. The Old High German Uodalrīh is the source of Ulrich, and its best-known early bearer was Saint Ulrich, bishop of Augsburg in the 10th century. The feminine forms Ulrika in Swedish and Ulrike in German developed from the masculine name; Ulla became a familiar short form of them, especially in Scandinavia. In Denmark and Norway the corresponding feminine form is Ulrikke, and Ulla is used there as well.
In German-speaking Europe, Ulla also became a familiar short form of Ursula. The medieval cult of Saint Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins, centered on Cologne, made Ursula a familiar name in the region, and Ulla served as its pet form. This German use is independent of the Scandinavian Ulrika derivation, although the resulting nickname is the same.
In Sweden, Ulla is used as a given name in its own right. It is also the name of Ulla Winblad, a central character in Carl Michael Bellman's 18th-century song cycle Fredman's Epistles; that literary figure is a later cultural association, not the source of the name.
How Popular is the Name Ulla?
Ulla has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #1,821 in 1899.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,851 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #15,026 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #15,104 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #13,364 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #17,951 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #14,003 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #18,917 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #20,383 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #10,551 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1971 | #9,584 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #6,527 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1957 | #6,944 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #6,450 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #6,053 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1924 | #5,826 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1921 | #5,798 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1920 | #5,692 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1918 | #5,528 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1899 | #1,821 | 5 | 0.0021% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ulla Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have talent, charm and luck. You can succeed in art and in any educational occupation. You attract peculiar experiences. Your power and protection lies in spiritual side of life. You are an enthusiastic collector and you will be tenacious in holding onto the things you accumulate. You have a good memory and should make an effort to have a positive attitude. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Ulla's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ulla's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.