Girl · #1,808 in 2026

Zella

Name: Popularity of the name Zella in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Zella, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#1,808

Peak Rank

#219 (1917)

Total Babies

13K

5-Yr Trend

-22%

1880

First Year

2026

Last Year

1917

Peak Year

#219

Peak Rank

13K

Total Count

139

Years Active

The Story of Zella

Zella first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 31 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1917, when 298 Zellas were born — ranking #363 that year. As of 2026, Zella ranks #1,808 for baby girls with 112 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 13K Zellas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Zella

Phonetically similar names — useful when Zella 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 Zella

What does the name Zella mean?

Zella is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1880. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Zella in 2026?

In 2026, Zella ranks #1,808 among girls' names in the U.S., with 112 babies given the name that year.

When was Zella most popular?

Zella reached its peak popularity in 1917, ranking #219 that year with 298 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Zella most popular?

Zella has historically been most popular in Wyoming, Idaho, Utah. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Zella.

Is Zella a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Zella is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Zella?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Zella include Lina, Rosetta, Macy. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Zella

Zella is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 13K births in the dataset. Zella's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #219. Use the chart and map above to compare Zella'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.