Zelda
Zelda is a nickname for the feminine name Griselda, from Old High German Grisja Hilda, 'Grey Battle-maid'. It is also the feminine form of the Yiddish name Zelig, (זעליג) meaning 'blessed', 'happy'.
Meaning & Origin of Zelda
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Zelda is a nickname for the feminine name Griselda, from Old High German Grisja Hilda, 'Grey Battle-maid'. It is also the feminine form of the Yiddish name Zelig, (זעליג) meaning 'blessed', 'happy'.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Zelda
Zelda first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 526 Zeldas were born — ranking #558 that year. As of 2026, Zelda ranks #817 for baby girls with 339 births, falling sharply (-19%). In total, more than 17K Zeldas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Zelda
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Zelda Barron (1929–2006), British director, screenwriter, and producer
- Zelda Curtis (1923–2012), British journalist
- Zelda D'Aprano (1928–2018), Australian feminist activist
- Zelda Fichandler (1924–2016), American stage producer, director, and educator
- Zelda Fitzgerald (1900–1948), American writer, painter, and socialite; wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Zelda F. Gamson (1936–2026), American sociologist, writer, and activist
- Zelda Harris (born 1985), American actress
- Zelda Jongbloed (1950–2018), South African journalist and politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Zelda
Phonetically similar names — useful when Zelda 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 Zelda
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About the name Zelda
Zelda is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 17K births in the dataset. Zelda's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #374. Use the chart and map above to compare Zelda's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2020 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "Z" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.