Ulysses
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Ulysses
Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero of The Odyssey, the eighteenth US president Ulysses Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which makes it distinguished, if a little weighty, for a modern boy.
The Latinate form of the Greek Odysseus, the name means "wrathful" or "to hate", however, if you were after a more positive meaning, the word "odyssey" has come to mean "long, eventful journey". Ulysses was on the US popularity list until 2005, however, it has since declined, with 150 boys bearing the name in a recent year.
Former SNLer Anna Gasteyer made this bold choice for her son, perhaps inspiring others to follow her lead. George Clooney's character name in the Coen brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou? is Ulysses.
Trivia tidbit: The presidential bearer was christened Hiram Ulysses Grant, but reputedly was all too happy when his first two names were reversed at West Point, as he had always been embarrassed by having the initials HUG.
The name more recently featured in the 2021 novel Still Life by Sarah Winman.
Ulysses is also given to girls.
Pronounced yoo-LIS-eez.
As of October 2026, Ulysses ranked #1201 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #272 in 1895, Nameberry popularity #869.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,109 | 173 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #1,085 | 181 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #1,272 | 144 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #1,190 | 157 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #1,138 | 170 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #1,022 | 204 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #1,068 | 188 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #1,133 | 180 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #1,118 | 191 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #1,195 | 169 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #1,291 | 152 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #1,201 | 169 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Ulysses for boys
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Ulysses.
Ulysses on lists
Famous Ulyssess
- (Hiram) Ulysses (Simpson) GrantBoy
18th US president and Civil War general
- Ulysses Simpson Grant IIIBoy
U.S. Major General; grandson of the President
- Ulysses Simpson Grant Sharp Jr.Boy
U.S. Navy admiral
- Ulysses GomezBoy
Mexican,American mixed martial artist
- Ulysses "Crazy Legs" CurtisBoy
American CFL football player
- Ulysses DavisBoy
American silent film director
- Ulysses Sigel WebbBoy
American politician from California
- Ulysses GuimarãesBoy
Brazilian politician and lawyer who played an important role in opposing the military dictatorship in Brazil and in the fight to restore democracy in the country
Ulysses in pop culture
- UlyssesBoy
Roman name for Odysseus, Greek hero of the Iliad and the Odyssey
- "UlyssesBoy
" novel by James Joyce
- UlyssesBoy
Grecian commander in Shakespeare's play "Troilus and Cressida"
- UlyssesBoy
squirrel in "Flora & Ulysses" by Kate DiCamillo
- UlyssesBoy
character in video game "Fallout: New Vegas , Lonesome Road"
- Ulysses Klaue aka KlawBoy
character in Marvel Comics
- Ronald Ulysses SwansonBoy
character on TV's "Parks and Recreation"
- Percival Ulysses "Perry" CoxBoy
character on TV's "Scrubs"
- "UlyssesBoy
" song by the band Franz Ferdinand
Variations & nicknames
More nicknames
- UlyBoy
- UlBoy