Zella

#1,733 for girls in 2025, 117 births

Peak · girls
1888 · 111 births
Debut · girls
31 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
13,369
since 1880

Zella over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Zella has never cracked the top 200 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201925peak #219, 1888girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirls
rankbirths
2025#1,733117
2024#1,840109
2023#1,595131
2022#1,437156
2021#1,269183
2020#1,654124
2019#1,383162
2018#1,360166
2017#1,422160
2016#1,472156
2015#1,464157
2014#2,23684
2013#1,939102
2012#2,07892
2011#2,12490
2010#2,56271
2009#2,89260
2008#3,15853
2007#3,42848
2006#3,79540
2005#4,02935
2004#4,09334
2003#6,57617
2002#7,04515
2001#6,61916
2000#6,48716
1999#10,3458
1998#11,1387
1997#12,0706
1996#13,5185
1995#10,5147
1994#9,5868
1993—
1992#8,7349
1991#13,1475
1990—
1989—
1988#10,3866
1987—
1986#10,9125
1985#10,6775
1984#8,1537
1983—
1982#6,8889
1981#5,88511
1980#9,0956
1979#10,2105
1978—
1977—
1976—
1975#4,14115
1974#4,22714
1973#4,87111
1972#3,17720
1971#4,81011
1970#4,03814
1969#3,19918
1968#2,63023
1967#2,78120
1966#2,93718
1965#1,95035
1964#2,34827
1963#1,81541
1962#1,78241
1961#1,49956
1960#1,85537
1959#1,61745
1958#1,60644
1957#1,72839
1956#1,43754
1955#1,42350
1954#1,44448
1953#1,24860
1952#1,15667
1951#1,06875
1950#94889
1949#98283
1948#90792
1947#88599
1946#93180
1945#75898
1944#84681
1943#725113
1942#82786
1941#81578
1940#652114
1939#643113
1938#629119
1937#646110
1936#622112
1935#559131
1934#551137
1933#516151
1932#522158
1931#521159
1930#491184
1929#505179
1928#470213
1927#509190
1926#470216
1925#457228
1924#454235
1923#408267
1922#441235
1921#405280
1920#428244
1919#405255
1918#424244
1917#363298
1916#398248
1915#370265
1914#355224
1913#342199
1912#333186
1911#330144
1910#311151
1909#316131
1908#315125
1907#315123
1906#323108
1905#321110
1904#282126
1903#267132
1902#280124
1901#265122
1900#247171
1899#292102
1898#284115
1897#251128
1896#245130
1895#234137
1894#226138
1893#251109
1892#262102
1891#225115
1890#234108
1889#23796
1888#219111
1887#25567
1886#24172
1885#26456
1884#23963
1883#24155
1882#24450
1881#26238
1880#27831
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Zella was already there! It came in at #278, and was given to 31 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1976–1979, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Zella is popular in 1925

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedNHWashington: #225 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,633 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedMNIllinois: #563 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 10,015 girlsILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedMINew York: #640 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 16,676 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedSDIowa: #275 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,331 girlsIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedINOhio: #365 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 4,601 girlsOHPennsylvania: #457 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 8,614 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #541 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 6,152 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedNEMissouri: #320 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,844 girlsMOKentucky: #203 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,249 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedWVVirginia: #317 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,084 girlsVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedNMKansas: #315 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,655 girlsKSArkansas: #415 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,106 girlsARTennessee: #315 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,647 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #331 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 3,057 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #355 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,586 girlsOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedLAMississippi: #480 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,629 girlsMSAlabama: #489 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,498 girlsALGeorgia: #513 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 6,964 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedHITexas: #440 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,939 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Zella, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Kentucky#203 · 1 in 1,249
  2. Washington#225 · 1 in 1,633
  3. Iowa#275 · 1 in 2,331
  4. Tennessee#315 · 1 in 2,647
  5. Kansas#315 · 1 in 2,655

Best ever in a state: #35 in Wyoming, 1913.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Kentucky#203241 in 1,249
Washington#22561 in 1,633
Iowa#27591 in 2,331
Kansas#31561 in 2,655
Tennessee#315111 in 2,647
Virginia#31791 in 3,084
Missouri#320111 in 2,844
North Carolina#331131 in 3,057
Oklahoma#355101 in 2,586
Ohio#365121 in 4,601
Arkansas#41571 in 3,106
Texas#440211 in 2,939
Pennsylvania#457111 in 8,614
Mississippi#48051 in 4,629
Alabama#48961 in 5,498
Georgia#51351 in 6,964
California#54161 in 6,152
Illinois#56361 in 10,015
New York#64061 in 16,676
Alaska———
Arizona———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Florida———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Indiana———
Louisiana———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Michigan———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
Wisconsin———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Zella
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 107 spots since 2024 (#1,840 → #1,733)
  • 79 spots since 2020 (#1,654 → #1,733)
  • 269 spots since 2015 (#1,464 → #1,733)
  • Biggest jump: 102 spots in 1943 (#827 → #725)
  • Biggest drop: 173 spots in 1946 (#758 → #931)
Rise & fade · girls
8 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1888 at #219 (111 births)
  • Births halved by 1954, 66 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 71 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 71 yrs · run 1880–1950
Share of babies · girls
1 in 1,609
  • Highest: 1 in 1,609 girls born in 1888 were named Zella (0.06%)
  • Latest: 1 in 13,737 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 17.1% of all girls named Zella (2,287) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s639#219 (1888)#248
1890s1,184#225 (1891)#250
1900s1,272#247 (1900)#293
1910s2,214#311 (1910)#363
1920s2,287#405 (1921)#455
1930s1,374#491 (1930)#570
1940s924#652 (1940)#833
1950s571#948 (1950)#1,368
1960s316#1,499 (1961)#2,280
1970s90#3,177 (1972)#5,068
1980s49#5,885 (1981)#8,857
1990s55#8,734 (1992)#11,132
2000s334#2,892 (2009)#4,812
2010s1,240#1,360 (2018)#1,804
2020s820#1,269 (2021)#1,588

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Zella in 1925

girls
#457
228 births · 1 in 5,339 girls

Top girls' names in 1925

  1. #1Mary70,586
  2. #2Dorothy38,570
  3. #3Betty32,812
  4. #4Helen29,173
  5. #5Margaret24,463
  6. #6Ruth22,247
  7. #7Virginia17,490
  8. #8Doris16,075
  9. #9Mildred14,453
  10. #10Elizabeth13,936
  11. #457Zella228
More about 1925

girls

1,217,384 girls got a published name in 1925; 1 in 5,339 of them was named Zella, which outranked 92.1% of the 5,771 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Zella
  1. #454Maudie234
  2. #455Jerry232
  3. #456Alfreda231
  4. #457Zella228
  5. #457Alicia228
  6. #459Wilhelmina227
  7. #460Faith225
  8. #461Madeleine223

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1924
Risers
  1. ↑ 605Nanette#1,475 → #870
  2. ↑ 417Paulina#1,258 → #841
  3. ↑ 353Estela#1,258 → #905
  4. ↑ 323Delois#1,123 → #800
  5. ↑ 313Veola#1,301 → #988
Fallers
  1. ↓ 610Kathlyn#999 → #1,609
  2. ↓ 396Izetta#951 → #1,347
  3. ↓ 355Loma#941 → #1,296
  4. ↓ 345Phylis#880 → #1,225
  5. ↓ 309Eris#728 → #1,037

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1925 →