Ulysses is the Latin form of Odysseus, the Greek hero of the Trojan War and protagonist of Homer's Odyssey, whose name's etymology remains debated (possibly from odussomai, to be angry, or a pre-Greek root). Ranked #1291 with a peak in 1999 and about 18,500 total SSA uses, Ulysses carries the full weight of the Western literary tradition.
The Two Ulysseses
American naming history has two dominant Ulysses figures. Ulysses S. Grant, 18th U.S. president and commanding general of the Union Army, made the name a statement of patriotic, masculine strength through the Civil War era. Then James Joyce's 1922 novel Ulysses — widely considered one of the greatest novels in English — reframed the name as a marker of literary ambition. These two associations couldn't be more different in character, yet both are overwhelmingly positive for the name's reputation. Greek names filtered through Latin and then into English literature have this layered quality.
The Full Journey Metaphor
Odysseus's journey: ten years of peril, ingenuity, longing, and eventual homecoming. It has become a universal metaphor for life's trials and the persistence required to reach one's destination. Naming a child Ulysses is naming him for that quality of perseverance and the refusal to give up regardless of what the sea throws at you. That's a genuinely meaningful thing to build into a name.
Practical Questions
Ulysses is four syllables and will almost always be shortened. Uly and Uli are the natural nicknames; neither is especially common in American culture, which means they feel personal rather than default. The name is instantly recognizable and immediately impressive. It does carry a slight weight of expectation, but that's a burden Ulysses S. Grant seemed to manage fairly well. See how Ulysses compares to Amadeus for two long, classical names being chosen by parents today.