Beulah
Primarily a girl's name of Hebrew origin with 73,232 recorded births. Also given to 213 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A female given name from Hebrew.
Beulah is a girl's and boy's baby name of Hebrew origin, from the Hebrew be'ulah, meaning 'married' or 'possessed,' used in the Book of Isaiah to describe the land of Israel in its redeemed state. It carries a sense of divine belonging and covenant.
Beulah was most popular in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is one of those deeply biblical names with a gentle, old-fashioned sound that is beginning to attract parents in search of truly uncommon choices with real spiritual depth.
EtymologyShow more
Beulah is built from 6 letters and two syllables — a mid-length form that balances memorability with distinctiveness. Within the Hebrew naming tradition, this length is typical of names that preserve their full historical form, carrying their etymology on the surface.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Beulah creates its characteristic open, warm quality. Two-syllable names are the most common length in American naming, hitting a natural speech rhythm that works across formal and informal contexts.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Beulah climbed 3776 spots in the last 20 years — from #8804 to #5028.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 84 | #7421 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 135 | #8692 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 79 | #12516 | — |
| 1990s | 84 | #10173 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 169 | #4688 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 286 | #2813 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 671 | #1467 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 1,780 | #731 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 4,408 | #352 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 8,669 | #205 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 18,626 | #137 | — |
| 1910s | 18,874 | #93 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 9,716 | #76 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 6,785 | #79 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 2,866 | #103 | — |
The Story of Beulah
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1916, Beulah is a name steeped in history. Girls named Beulah are most likely born between 1906 and 1926.
How rare is Beulah?
Only about 1 in every 138,462 babies born in 2024 was named Beulah — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1880, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1910s with 18,874 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Beulah by the numbers
- Enough Beulahs to fill 1 football stadium
- More Beulahs than the population of a small U.S. town
- Meeting one Beulah per day would take 200.6 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(144 years, 1880–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26 | #5028 |
| 2023 | 21 | #5781 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10521 |
| 2021 | 17 | #6734 |
| 2020 | 11 | #9043 |
| 2019 | 29 | #4670 |
| 2018 | 17 | #6845 |
| 2017 | 17 | #6855 |
| 2016 | 16 | #7307 |
| 2015 | 14 | #8075 |
| 2014 | 11 | #9637 |
| 2013 | 14 | #8205 |
| 2012 | 12 | #9198 |
| 2010 | 5 | #17439 |
| 2009 | 6 | #15544 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14075 |
| 2007 | 7 | #14155 |
| 2006 | 9 | #11589 |
| 2005 | 9 | #11058 |
| 2004 | 12 | #8804 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Beulah as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Beulah has also been given to 213 boys in the U.S. since 1892.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beulah a boy's or girl's name?
When was Beulah most popular?
How popular is the name Beulah?
Can Beulah be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1880–2024