Zuly
Feminine
Zuly is a short two-syllable name with a Z at the front and a light -ly at the end. It reads as a pet form of the longer Spanish names that begin with Zul-, such as Zulema and Zuleima, and it has been given as a full name in its own right.
How old is the name Zuly?
Zuly first appears in US birth records in 1986 — 39 years ago. The typical Zuly alive today was born around 2010, making them about 15 years old. About 500 people named Zuly are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Zuly most popular?
Zuly peaked in 2009, reaching #3409 nationally. See the whole 2009 chart.
Lists built from the same records:
Where it comes from
Origin, sound and short forms
Our story of Zuly
Our story of Zuly begins with a letter that changes its sound at every border. In Caracas or Miami the Z opens softly, like an s; in Madrid it is said with the tongue at the teeth, like the th in thin; in an English classroom it buzzes, like the z in zoo. One short name, three sounds, each of them right where it is spoken. Behind it stand the longer Zul- names, each with a road of its own, and Zuly keeps only the part they share.
Meaningnot established
Not established
Zuly is best read as a short form, but of which name is not recorded: Zulema, Zuleima, Zulma and Zuleika all begin the same way, and each has its own disputed history. Without knowing which one a family meant, no meaning can be given honestly.
Pronouncing Zuly
SOO-lee
Spanish has no buzzing z: the letter is said as an s across Latin America and as a th in much of Spain. English speakers will usually say ZOO-lee, and families choose which they want.
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1986
- Most girls named
- 200948 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #3409reached in 2009
- Change vs 2023
- 0.0%11 in 2024, from 11
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Zuly in other languages
Strongest US states over the last decade: Florida.
Zulys among us
people named Zuly are estimated to be alive in the US today
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
Questions parents actually ask
Fashion outlook
Zuly sits outside the current charts, and that is its own kind of answer: naming cycles can only date the names they carried up. A name this rare has no decade stamped on it — it cannot go out of fashion, because it was never in.
Based on 146 years of naming cycles. How we read them
The trade-off
- Short and easy to write, with only four letters.
- Sits naturally beside the longer Zul- names, any of which can serve as a formal version.
- Friendly in both English and Spanish, whichever first sound the family uses.
- The first sound depends on who is saying it, so the name will be heard as SOO-lee, THOO-lee and ZOO-lee over the years.
- With no documented meaning of its own, it can only answer the question of what it means by borrowing from a longer name, and that is a perfectly good answer.
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Zuly
Feminine
Frequently asked
- How many Zulys are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 500 people named Zuly are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Zuly in 2025?
- Zuly is rarely given in the US today — it does not rank in the top 2000 girl names.
- Will my child share the name Zuly with classmates?
- Zuly will almost certainly be the only one in school.
More Z names
The most-given names starting with Z, all years combined.
Zoe#31 · Zoey#69 · Zara#212 · Zuri#328 · Zelma#6838 · Zelda#832 · Zariah#449 · Zella#1733
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Zuly? See the current top 100.
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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