UK boy's name
Ulysse
A masculine given name deriving from Ulysses, the Latin form of Odysseus from Greek mythology.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ulysse is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ulysse popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4001, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 5 births.
This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2016 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Ulysse. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ulysse ranked #4001 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 5 boys were registered as Ulysse.
- • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ulysse as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4001
2022
Births in 2022
4
Latest year
Peak year
2016
5 births
Estimated living
13
2026
Meaning
What does Ulysse mean?
The name Ulysse is derived from the Latin name Ulysses, which itself comes from the Greek Odysseus. It has its origins dating back to ancient Greek mythology and literature. Odysseus was the legendary Greek hero, king of Ithaca, and protagonist of Homer's epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, written around the 8th century BC. The name is believed to be derived from the Greek word odyssomai, meaning "to hate" or "to be hated".
In the Odyssey, Odysseus is portrayed as a skilled warrior, cunning strategist, and adventurer who faced numerous challenges and obstacles during his long journey home from the Trojan War. His name became synonymous with resilience, intelligence, and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ulysse can be found in the works of the Roman poet Virgil, who used the Latin form Ulysses in his epic poem the Aeneid, written around 19 BC. The name was later adopted and used by various writers and poets throughout the centuries, including William Shakespeare, who featured Ulysses as a character in his play Troilus and Cressida.
Notable historical figures with the name Ulysse include Ulysse Nardin (1823-1876), a Swiss watchmaker and founder of the renowned Ulysse Nardin watch company. Another famous bearer of the name was Ulysse Chevalier (1841-1923), a French historian and archaeologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Mexican civilizations.
In the realm of literature, Ulysse is the name of the protagonist in James Joyce's groundbreaking novel Ulysses, published in 1922. This influential work of modernist literature follows the wanderings and inner thoughts of the character, Leopold Bloom, over the course of a single day in Dublin, drawing parallels with Homer's Odyssey.
Ulysse Renepont (1841-1911) was a French military officer and explorer who led expeditions in West Africa and the Congo region in the late 19th century. Ulysse Pic (1835-1913) was a French entomologist and naturalist known for his extensive work on beetles and other insects.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Ulysse throughout history, showcasing its enduring legacy and connection to ancient Greek mythology and literature.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ulysse over time
The chart below shows babies named Ulysse registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2016 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ulysse, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2022, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ulysse by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ulysse was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4001 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3708 | 9 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Ulysse
- Umar 4,932
- Usman 2,413
- Uzair 1,549
- Umair 1,044
- Uthman 531
- Usmaan 476
- Uwais 438
- Ubaid 383
- Umer 325
- Umut 303
- Uzayr 299
- Uriel 276
FAQ
Ulysse: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ulysse in the UK right now?
In 2022, Ulysse was ranked #4001 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Ulysse most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 5 babies registered as Ulysse in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ulysse?
A masculine given name deriving from Ulysses, the Latin form of Odysseus from Greek mythology.
How many people are called Ulysse in the UK?
A total of 13 babies have been registered as Ulysse across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.