Zela
Every Zela since 1889 — 609 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Zela
Zela is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,852 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1889, 609 American babies have been named Zela. Its peak came in 1916, when 21 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Zela stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Zela year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #8,852 |
| 2024 | 6 | #15,268 |
| 2023 | 6 | #15,172 |
| 2022 | 11 | #9,668 |
| 2021 | 14 | #8,020 |
| 2020 | 8 | #12,124 |
| 2019 | 11 | #9,727 |
| 2018 | 11 | #9,801 |
| 2017 | 9 | #11,602 |
| 2016 | 5 | #18,835 |
| 2015 | 5 | #19,077 |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | 10 | #10,990 |
| 2012 | 6 | #16,830 |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | 7 | #15,385 |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,501 |
| 1935 | 6 | #4,201 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,654 |
| 1925 | 10 | #3,361 |
| 1920 | 13 | #2,729 |
| 1915 | 18 | #1,882 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,933 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #2,219 |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Zela in 2025?
Zela ranked #8,852 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Zela?
609 babies have been named Zela in the United States since 1889, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Zela most popular?
Zela peaked in 1916, when 21 newborns received the name.
Is Zela a boy or girl name?
Zela is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Zela rising or falling?
Zela is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.