Ursula (name)

Ursula is a feminine given name in several languages. The name is derived from a diminutive of the Latin ursa, which means "bear". In the English-speaking world, the name was most common in the 16th century, but has since become relatively rare, although its use has been influenced since the twentieth century by the Swiss-born actress Ursula Andress (born 1936). It was among the most popular names for newborn girls in Germany from the 1920s to the 1950s. Ulla, Ursel, and Uschi are German short forms of the name.

Ursula is a villain in the 1989 Disney animated film The Little Mermaid and its 2023 live-action remake The Little Mermaid.

Other forms of the name include:

• Orsolya in Hungarian
• Úrsula in Spanish (notice the acute accent)
• Uršula in Bosnian
• Ursule in French
• Uršulė in Lithuanian
• Urszula in Polish
• Uršula / Urša / Urška in Slovenian