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.
- #14,178 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 370
- born since 1898
- 1910s
- peak 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.
- #14,178 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 370 born since 1898
- 1910s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Zell ranks #14,178 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 370 born since 1898, peaking in the 1910s.
- #14,178 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 370
- born since 1898
- 1910s
- peak decade
Zell's 370 recorded births place it above 80.4% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by Texas.
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 popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1898–1958
- Peak year (1925)
- 21
- Annual births at peak, across 61 years of records
Zell popularity over time - boys
213 total births recorded since 1914 (Zell as boys' name)
Zell by decade
1910s is the heaviest window (119 births, 32% of the file).
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
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s
1900s
58 births
- 1910s
1910s
119 births
- 1920s
1920s
118 births
- 1930s
1930s
48 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 17
1950s
17 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 119 births (32% of all-time use).
Zell by state
Where Zell concentrates geographically, total births since 1898
| 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% |
11 of 370 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Zell
Nearby Names Like Zell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Zell
Compare Zell side by side: Zell vs Zelma Zell vs Zelda Zell vs Zella
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Zell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1925)
Similar record span (~60 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.