Zuleika

Zuleika is a high-wire act of a name that might appeal to the intrepid baby namer, Like most 'Z'-starting girls' names, it projects a cool, strong aura, as exemplified by the character in Max Beerbohm's satirical 1910 novel, Zuleika Dobson, a heroine so gorgeous that the entire student body of Oxford University committed collective suicide at the sight of her.

Though not used directly in the Bible, according to medieval legend, Zuleika was the beautiful and passionate wife of Potiphar, a dignitary in the court of the Egyptian Pharoah to whom Joseph was sold; Zuleika and Potiphar were the parents of Ephraim. She was celebrated in several notable poems.

Zuleika comes with a variety of spellings: model Iman named her daughter Zulekha, there was a Miss Universe named Zuleyka Rivera, Zuleikha is the British actress who played Ilana on Lost, while Charles Bronson stuck with the original Zuleika for his daughter, who became a successful model.

Pronounced zoo-LAY-kuh.

As of October 2026, Zuleika ranked #6837 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #2414 in 1993.