Given name & surname
Zula
“one who is brilliant; from the town of Zula”
Zula is used as a given name and a surname. One African interpretation is “one who is brilliant; from the town of Zula.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One African interpretation is “one who is brilliant; from the town of Zula.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is African.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zula through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,450
- 0 boys · 4,450 girls
- Most popular year
- 1922
- 127 babies
- 2025
- 5
- #17,280 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −8%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 5 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 17,280 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 127 in 1922. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 641 as a first name in 2020; 111 as a surname in 2010.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Zula’s family of names
Zula has a related form in Zulay. Zula has a related form in Zul. Zula has a related form in Zulae.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Zula
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Zula, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ola
“one who is precious” · “giver of life: well-being”
>99% girls
Retta
“he has triumphed”
>99% girls
Zita
“patron of housewives and servants” · “little rose”
>99% girls
Eula
“well-spoken”
>99% girls
Zetta
“resembling the rose”
>99% girls
Ozella
>99% girls
Trula
“one who is genuine; sincere”
>99% girls
Zella
“one who resists”
>99% girls