Total births
13,369
Girls' name · since 1880
Zella
Zella has 13,369 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1917 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1840
- among girls today
- 13,369
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
13,369 babies have been named Zella since 1880, making it today's #1840 girls' name.
Social Security Administration records show Zella recorded 13,369 times among girls since 1880, holding rank #1840 nationally today, ahead of 90% of girls, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1840 among girls today
- 13,369 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 90% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Zella is currently the #1840 girls' name in America, more common than 90% of girls - 13,369 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1840
- among girls today
- 13,369
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
Zella vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1840
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 90% of names given to girls today.
1920s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Zella was born in this single decade.
1917
Single peak year
298 babies were named Zella in 1917 - its busiest year on record.
How Zella compares
13,369 Top 8% higher than 92% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Zella's all-time total is 35x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Zella | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 13,369 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 298 | 48 | 19,840 |
Zella's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Zella's SSA record in two at 1949 and the more recent half accounts for 27% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 73%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1979, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1917 peak of 298, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Zella at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1917
Current rank
#1,840
Active since
1880
Zella popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1917)
- 298
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Zella by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Zella's strongest decade.
2,287 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Zella births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 639
1880s
639 births
- 1890s
1890s
1,184 births
- 1900s
1900s
1,272 births
- 1910s
1910s
2,214 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,287 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,374 births
- 1940s
1940s
924 births
- 1950s 571
1950s
571 births
- 1960s 316
1960s
316 births
- 1970s 90
1970s
90 births
- 1980s 49
1980s
49 births
- 1990s 55
1990s
55 births
- 2000s 334
2000s
334 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,240 births
- 2020s 820
2020s
820 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,287 births (17% of all-time use).
How Zella compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Zella's total volume
Zella vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Zella by state
Where Zella concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 704 | 5.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 584 | 4.4% |
| #3 | Tennessee | | 427 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 425 | 3.2% |
| #5 | Oklahoma | | 418 | 3.1% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 378 | 2.8% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 289 | 2.2% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 279 | 2.1% |
Kentucky share of Zella's total US births 5.3%
Even split
704 of 13,369 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Zella appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Zella? ▼
Zella has been given to 13,369 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #1840 as of the latest data. 298 babies were born in 1917, its single highest year.
When was Zella most popular? ▼
Zella was most popular in the 1920s decade with 2,287 total births. The single peak year was 1917.
Where is Zella most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Zella are Kentucky (704 births), Texas (584 births), Tennessee (427 births).
How long has the name Zella been used? ▼
Records for Zella go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Zella? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Zelma, Zelda, Zelie, Zelia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Zella's data
- Zella's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (2,287 total births) through the 2020s (820) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Kentucky records the most Zellas (704 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky 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.
Keep exploring Zella
Nearby Names Like Zella
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Zella
Zelma Girl
#6643 16,824 births
Zelda Girl
#747 16,734 births
Zelie Girl
#1822 1,264 births
Zelia Girl
#5447 1,177 births
Zelpha Girl
956 births
Compare Zella side by side: Zella vs Zelma Zella vs Zelda Zella vs Zelie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Zella
Mirha #1839
930 births · Peak 2022
Klara #1841
3,087 births · Peak 2019
Livvy #1838
764 births · Peak 2025
Rosemarie #1842
51,426 births · Peak 1936
Naylani #1837
1,206 births · Peak 2025
Kari #1843
59,696 births · Peak 1975
Avyanna #1836
1,434 births · Peak 2022
Oriana #1844
3,883 births · Peak 2003
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Zella: #1840 Girls' Name - 13,369 Births, Peak 1917." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/zella. 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 Zella 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.