U-nique

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.

A saint's name with a noteworthy literary background, including uses by Shakespeare in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Much Ado About Nothing, by Ben Johnson, Walter Scott, Longfellow, D. H. Lawrence and Neil Gaiman. In real life, her two most well known representatives are writer Ursula Le Guin and actress Ursula Andress. In literature, there is also Ursula Iguaran, a key, long-lived character in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's major work, One Hundred Years of Solitude.

This short but strong name, commonly heard in Israel, has a lot of crossover potential, and is among the most usable on the minuscule menu of U names.

A perfectly respectable Old Testament name ruined forever through its association with the odious Uriah Heep in David Copperfield. Some people also find this name just too close to the word urine. These negative connotations may be wearing off, however. (Perhaps because people don't read as much Dickens as they used to.)

Ula is among the unusual U names that may have a range of origins and meanings, from the Celtic one given here to its possibilities as a short form of Eulalia or Ursula. Ulla is a Scandinavian name usually an abbreviation of Ursula or Ulrika.

It's the name of an Old Testament archangel that's symbolically given to boys born during Chanukah, but the possibility of unsavory nicknames (urinal?) make the short form Uri a better bet.

Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity.

Ulrich has ancient roots — it was derived from the Old High German name Uodalrich (also spelled Odalric). Ulrich was a common given name in medieval Germany, when it was associated with St. Ulrich of Augsburg. St. Ulrich is the patron saint of pregnant women and easy births.

Finding a really distinctive name is probably a better way to make sure your child stands out, but then again, is choosing Unique really any different to parents choosing Saint, Messiah, Chosen, Dream, Miracle, or Blessing?

Urban was not an uncommon name through the 1930s (rising as high as Number 435), having been attached to several saints and early popes, but it has completely disappeared from the landscape--both urban and rural. Yet in this era of word name appreciation and trend for 'an'-ending boys' names, we're thinking it might be ready for a return.

Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its own or be an abbreviation of Ursula or Ulrika; Ula may be seen as another spelling.

Mythological water spirit with the more common spelling of Ondine, heroine of an Edith Wharton novel.

It may surprise Americans to hear that Ulrik is a fashionable choice elsewhere in the world, as U is the least-used letter for given names in the US. In recent years, Ulrik has been one of the fastest-rising names in Norway.

Ursa might be a good choice if you're looking for a bear name for your daughter but want to avoid the She Witch curse placed on Ursula by Disney's The Little Mermaid. Too bad, because Ursula is a classic and lovely name, but Ursa has less baggage.

Despite its biblical pedigree and popularity in Israel, it has far too many ties to the lethal submachine gun to find many fans here.

Like Verity and Amity, this inclusive virtue name used by the colorful British literary Mitford family is ready to join its more popular peers Hope, Faith, and Grace.

Uppity name associated with muckraking novelist Upton Sinclair.

Unfamiliar Asian choice that can work for a parent in search of something really different.

Udele is an uncommon feminine name with possible connections to several origins. It may be a variant of Udella or related to names like Adele or Odele. With Germanic linguistic roots, it potentially carries meanings associated with 'noble' or 'nobility.' Udele has never achieved widespread popularity and remains a rare choice in most English-speaking countries. The name has an elegant, somewhat antique quality that might appeal to parents seeking a distinctive name with traditional undertones. Its uncommon nature means that those named Udele often experience uniqueness throughout their lives, rarely encountering others who share their name.

Ursinus is a masculine name with ancient Roman roots, derived from the Latin word 'ursus' meaning 'bear.' It essentially translates to 'bear-like' or 'of the bear.' Historically, it was used as a cognomen (family name) in Roman times and later adopted as a personal name. Several early Christian saints bore the name, including St. Ursinus of Bourges, traditionally considered the first bishop of Bourges, France in the 3rd century. Despite its rich historical background, Ursinus remains extremely rare in modern usage. The name carries connotations of strength and natural power, reflecting the bear's symbolism across many cultures as an emblem of courage and might.