Hula
A girl's name of Hawaiian origin with 82 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
a male given name
Hula is a girl's baby name of Hawaiian origin, derived from the word for the traditional Hawaiian dance form, hula. The dance itself is a sacred art form used to communicate history, stories, and spiritual devotion, making the word — and the name — deeply rooted in Hawaiian cultural heritage.
As a given name, Hula is rare in U.S. records but reflects the broader trend of using cultural and nature-inspired words as names. In Hawaii, it carries an immediate sense of place, tradition, and the living beauty of Polynesian culture — a name that dances with meaning from the very first syllable.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Hula's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Hula follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Hula's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Hula has 14+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1907.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 | #5636 | — |
| 1930s | 5 | #4845 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 39 | #4827 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 28 | #3674 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 5 | #2198 | — |
The Story of Hula
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1916, Hula is a name steeped in history. Girls named Hula are most likely born between 1907 and 1926.
How rare is Hula?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Hula is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1907, peaked in the 1920s with 39 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Hula by the numbers
- Would fill 2 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(14 years, 1907–1947)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 5 | #5636 |
| 1930 | 5 | #4845 |
| 1929 | 5 | #4889 |
| 1928 | 6 | #4409 |
| 1927 | 5 | #5146 |
| 1926 | 5 | #5196 |
| 1925 | 6 | #4654 |
| 1923 | 7 | #4150 |
| 1922 | 5 | #5348 |
| 1919 | 8 | #3616 |
| 1918 | 6 | #4535 |
| 1916 | 9 | #3133 |
| 1913 | 5 | #3411 |
| 1907 | 5 | #2198 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hula a boy's or girl's name?
When was Hula most popular?
How popular is the name Hula?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1907–1947