Ulla

The feminine first name Ulla has several possible origins. On one hand, Ulla is a pet and short form of Ursula and means 'the little bear'.

What does the name Ulla mean?

The feminine first name Ulla has several possible origins. On one hand, Ulla is a pet and short form of Ursula and means 'the little bear'. The name is a diminutive form of the original name Ursa and derives from the Latin word ursa, which literally means 'the bear'. With the added suffix -ula, the name transformed to 'little bear'. Furthermore, the girl's name Ulla is used as a short form of Ulrike. The name traces back to the Old High German masculine name Ulrich and means in this case 'the rich, powerful heir'. Accordingly, the first name can be derived from the two Old High German words uodal for 'the inheritance', 'the estate' or 'the heritage' and rihhi, which stands for 'rich', 'powerful', 'the power', 'the rule' or 'the ruler'. Lastly, the name Ulla is seen as the Danish and Swedish form of Hulda. Hulda is an ancient Germanic name that has its origins in the Old High German language. It derives from the element hold, which literally translates to 'gracious', 'favorable', 'serviceable' and 'faithful'. Thus, as an interpretation of Ulla, the meaning 'the good female spirit' also emerges. The Icelandic variant of the name is Úlla and the name Ula is also a fairly popular variant.

Where does the name Ulla come from?

Etymology The girl's name Ulla has Latin or Old High German origins. On one hand, the name represents a short form of Ursula or Ulrike. On the other hand, it can be the Danish and Swedish form of Hulda. Ursula derives from the Latin ursa for 'the bear'. Ulrike, on the other hand, has Old High German roots and is composed of the two words uodal for 'the inheritance', 'the estate' or 'the heritage' and rihhi for 'rich', 'powerful', 'the power', 'the rule' or 'the ruler'. The feminine name Hulda, in turn, comes from the Old High German word hold for 'gracious', 'favorable', 'serviceable' and 'faithful'.

How do you pronounce Ulla?

Sound & Pronunciation of Ulla: Ulla is two syllables and is pronounced as 'Ul-la' [ˈʊla]. The short, rounded vowel provides a soft, compact entry. The doubling of the 'l' clearly segments the name, while the open 'a' creates a gentle conclusion. Overall, Ulla sounds rounded, calm, and phonetically balanced.

When is the name day of Ulla?

The name day of Ulla is January 20, April 10, July 4, and October 21.

Popularity

Ulla is a rare first name in Germany. In 2023, it ranked 5,633rd in the list of the most common female baby names. Its best placement was in 2013, reaching 2,008th. In the last ten years, Ulla has been given as a first name about 50 times, placing it 3,707th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 3,611th.

Nicknames & pet names

Schnulla / Trulla / Ukulele / Ullchen / Ulli / Üllallla-Ührchen

Famous people

• Ulla Akselson (Swedish actress)
• Ulla Arnz (German singer)
• Ulla Hahn (German writer)
• Ulla Hansen (biologist from the USA)
• Ulla Höpken (German painter)
• Ulla Jacobsson (actress)
• Ulla Klomp (German writer)
• Ulla Kock am Brink (presenter)
• Ulla Lachauer (film director from Germany)
• Ulla Luther (architect from Germany)
• Ulla M. Scholl (German sculptor)
• Ulla Meinecke (singer)
• Ulla Melchinger (German actress)
• Ulla Müller (presenter at Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bayern 1))
• Ulla Oehmichen (puppeteer, daughter of Walter Oehmichen)
• Ulla Pia Nielsen (Danish singer)
• Ulla Pirttijarvi (Finnish singer)
• Ulla Plener (German historian)
• Ulla Procope (artist from Finland)
• Ulla Schmidt (former Minister of Health 2001-2009)