Zelda
A female given name from the Germanic languages.
Every Zelda since 1880 — 16,739 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Zelda
Zelda is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #832 in 2025 with 328 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 16,739 American babies have been named Zelda. Its peak came in 2020, when 526 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Zelda stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Zelda year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 328 | #832 | — | — |
| 2024 | 377 | #749 | — | — |
| 2023 | 403 | #705 | — | — |
| 2022 | 435 | #672 | — | — |
| 2021 | 492 | #608 | — | — |
| 2020 | 526 | #559 | — | — |
| 2019 | 436 | #665 | — | — |
| 2018 | 442 | #668 | — | — |
| 2017 | 456 | #650 | — | — |
| 2016 | 426 | #688 | — | — |
| 2015 | 443 | #649 | — | — |
| 2014 | 214 | #1,160 | — | — |
| 2013 | 183 | #1,288 | — | — |
| 2012 | 139 | #1,574 | — | — |
| 2011 | 81 | #2,325 | — | — |
| 2010 | 69 | #2,641 | — | — |
| 2009 | 59 | #2,965 | — | — |
| 2008 | 54 | #3,157 | — | — |
| 2007 | 53 | #3,246 | — | — |
| 2006 | 49 | #3,367 | — | — |
| 2005 | 40 | #3,728 | — | — |
| 2004 | 30 | #4,598 | — | — |
| 2003 | 29 | #4,534 | — | — |
| 2002 | 24 | #5,085 | — | — |
| 2001 | 22 | #5,362 | — | — |
| 2000 | 31 | #4,077 | — | — |
| 1995 | 5 | #15,746 | — | — |
| 1990 | 18 | #5,285 | — | — |
| 1985 | 13 | #5,676 | — | — |
| 1980 | 19 | #4,147 | — | — |
| 1975 | 27 | #2,810 | — | — |
| 1970 | 67 | #1,504 | — | — |
| 1965 | 109 | #1,003 | — | — |
| 1960 | 135 | #914 | — | — |
| 1955 | 120 | #898 | — | — |
| 1950 | 101 | #889 | — | — |
| 1945 | 88 | #809 | — | — |
| 1940 | 128 | #621 | — | — |
| 1935 | 161 | #503 | — | — |
| 1930 | 225 | #450 | — | — |
| 1925 | 251 | #436 | — | — |
| 1920 | 208 | #472 | — | — |
| 1915 | 230 | #397 | — | — |
| 1910 | 86 | #431 | — | — |
| 1905 | 76 | #388 | — | — |
| 1900 | 46 | #503 | — | — |
| 1895 | 28 | #577 | — | — |
| 1890 | 14 | #757 | — | — |
| 1885 | 6 | #1,044 | — | — |
| 1880 | 6 | #834 | — | — |
Famous people named Zelda
- Zelda Fitzgerald Writer · 1900–1948
- Zelda Rubinstein Actor · 1933–2010
- Zelda Williams Actor · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Zelda mean?
A female given name from the Germanic languages.
How popular is the name Zelda in 2025?
Zelda ranked #832 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 328 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Zelda?
16,739 babies have been named Zelda in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Zelda most popular?
Zelda peaked in 2020, when 526 newborns received the name.
Is Zelda a boy or girl name?
Zelda is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Zelda rising or falling?
Zelda is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Zelda?
Well-known people named Zelda include Zelda Fitzgerald (writer), Zelda Rubinstein (actor), Zelda Williams (actor).