Unisex name · since 1898

Zell

Zell has 370 recorded births since 1898 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1925 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

370
total births
1898–1958
years on record
1910s
peak decade
32%
born in that decade

370 girls have been named Zell since 1898, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Social Security Administration records show Zell recorded 370 times among girls since 1898, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1910s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1898 to 1958.

  • 370 total births
  • 1898–1958 years on record
  • 1910s peak decade
  • 32% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

370 girls have been named Zell since 1898, peaking in the 1910s, last recorded in 1958.

370
total births
1898–1958
years on record
1910s
peak decade
32%
born in that decade
1910s
Peak decade

32% of everyone ever named Zell was born in this single decade.

1925
Single peak year

21 babies were named Zell in 1925 - its busiest year on record.

Zell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Zell's full recorded timeline at 1921, 48% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 52% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1898, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1925 peak of 21 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Zell at a glance

Last recorded 1958

Total births

370

Since 1898

61 years of records

Peak year

1925

21 births that year

Strongest decade: 1910s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1958

Active since

1898

Recorded for 61 years

Last year on file: 1958

Zell popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1898–1958

Last recorded 1958
Peak year (1925)
21
Annual births at peak, across 61 years of records
0510152025 189819061912191719221927193219461958 7

Zell popularity over time - boys

213 total births recorded since 1914 (Zell as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 213 births
05101520 19141921192919431980201120192023 5

Zell by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1910s was Zell's strongest decade.

119 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.

Zell births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1910s at 119 births (32% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

Zell by state

Where Zell concentrates geographically, total births since 1898

Geographically diffuse
Top 4 states by recorded births for the name Zell
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Texas
11 3.0%
#2 Virginia
10 2.7%
#3 Georgia
6 1.6%
#4 West Virginia
5 1.4%
Texas share of Zell's total US births 3.0%
Even split

11 of 370 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Zell?
Zell has been given to 370 babies in the U.S. since 1898, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1958. 21 babies were born in 1925, its single highest year.
When was Zell most popular?
Zell was most popular in the 1910s decade with 119 total births. The single peak year was 1925.
Where is Zell most popular?
The top states for the name Zell are Texas (11 births), Virginia (10 births), Georgia (6 births).
Is Zell a unisex name?
Yes, Zell is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 370 births, and as a boy's name it has 213 births.
How long has the name Zell been used?
Zell has been recorded in Social Security data since 1898, spanning 61 years of data through 1958.
What names are similar to Zell?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Zelma, Zelda, Zella, Zelie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Zell's data

  • Zell's decade-level peak was the 1910s (119 total births); usage has since declined to 17 in the 1950s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Texas records the most Zells (11 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
  • Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Data Sources

Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1898–1958 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Zell: Baby Name Since 1898 - 370 Births, Peak 1925." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/zell. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Zell draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.