Declining since 2006, #1,038 for boys today.
Popularity of Ulises since 1954
Babies named Ulises per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 10 |
| 1960s | 96 |
| 1970s | 303 |
| 1980s | 684 |
| 1990s | 2,402 |
| 2000s | 4,129 |
| 2010s | 2,910 |
| 2020s | 1,410 |
Meaning & origin
Ulises, the Spanish form of Ulysses, has been in consistent use in the United States since 1954, though it has never reached the top tiers of popularity. Its peak year was 2006, when it ranked highest among male names, but it has been on a gradual decline since then, falling to rank 1,038 in 2025. Roughly 1 in 8,019 boys born that year were named Ulises. The name is most common in states with large Hispanic populations, including California, Texas, and Arizona. While not a top 100 name, Ulises maintains steady usage, reflecting its enduring literary and mythological heritage.
Ulises is the Spanish form of Ulysses, itself the Latinized form of the Greek Odysseus. The name's meaning is debated, possibly from Greek 'odyssomai' meaning 'to be angry' or 'to hate', but also linked to a folk etymology of 'wounded in the thigh' from a childhood injury. In classical mythology, Odysseus was the hero of Homer's Odyssey. The Spanish Ulises has been in use since the mid-20th century, popularized through literary and cultural channels.
Where Ulises is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Uli, Lises, Uly
Sibling names for Ulises
Names that share Ulises's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Ulises
Names whose popularity has moved with Ulises's over the last 50 years.
