Girl · #14,580 in 2026

Zalma

Zalma, once known as "Bollinger's Mill", is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) on the banks of the winding Castor River at a point where the river makes a horseshoe bend in southern Bollinger County in southeast Missouri, United States. When the railroad moved to town, the name Bollinger's Mill was changed to Zalma, after railroad worker Zalma Block.

Current Rank
#14,580
Peak Rank
#6,483 (1997)
Total Babies
89
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1997
First Year
2013
Last Year
1997
Peak Year
#6483
Peak Rank
89
Total Count
9
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Zalma

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Zalma, once known as "Bollinger's Mill", is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) on the banks of the winding Castor River at a point where the river makes a horseshoe bend in southern Bollinger County in southeast Missouri, United States. When the railroad moved to town, the name Bollinger's Mill was changed to Zalma, after railroad worker Zalma Block.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
In 1800, an Urban Asherbranner (or Asherbramer or Asherbrauner) settled on the upper portion of the Castor River, just where the river empties its waters into Mingo Bottom, and where the village of Zalma is now situated, built a log and brush dam and erected a water mill to grind corn. Philip Bollinger settled nearby. In A History of Missouri (1908), Louis Houck states that the head rights to this mill were owned by Asherbranner himself, but were held instead by Philip Bollinger, a relative of Asherbranner's wife, Barbara. Philip Bollinger was a relative of Major George Frederick Bollinger , w

The Story of Zalma

Zalma first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1997, with 14 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1997, when 14 Zalmas were born — ranking #6,483 that year. As of 2026, Zalma ranks #14,580 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 89 Zalmas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Where is Zalma most common?

Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.

  • Israel
    46%
  • Greece
    21%
  • Turkey
    12%
  • Indonesia
    11%
  • United States
    10%

Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.

Names that sound like Zalma

Phonetically similar names — useful when Zalma is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Zalma

What does the name Zalma mean?
Zalma, once known as "Bollinger's Mill", is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) on the banks of the winding Castor River at a point where the river makes a horseshoe bend in southern Bollinger County in southeast Missouri, United States. When the railroad moved to town, the name Bollinger's Mill was changed to Zalma, after railroad worker Zalma Block.
How popular is Zalma in 2026?
In 2026, Zalma ranks #14,580 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Zalma most popular?
Zalma reached its peak popularity in 1997, ranking #6,483 that year with 14 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Zalma most popular?
Zalma has historically been most popular in Texas, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Zalma.
Is Zalma a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Zalma is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Zalma?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Zalma include Ronae, Tanashia, Jovanni. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Ronae
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Tanashia
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Jovanni
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Jaquesha
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Tyshay
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About the name Zalma

Zalma is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1997 and has accumulated 89 births in the dataset. Zalma's peak popularity came in 1997 when it ranked #6,483. Use the chart and map above to compare Zalma's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.