Zelma
A female given name from Arabic, variant of Selma.
Every Zelma since 1880 — 16,936 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Zelma
Zelma is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #7,128 in 2025 with 16 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 16,936 American babies have been named Zelma. Its peak came in 1919, when 494 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Zelma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Zelma 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 | 16 | #7,128 | — | — |
| 2024 | 17 | #6,922 | — | — |
| 2023 | 14 | #8,052 | — | — |
| 2022 | 12 | #9,052 | — | — |
| 2021 | 12 | #8,969 | — | — |
| 2020 | 10 | #10,237 | — | — |
| 2019 | 14 | #8,132 | — | — |
| 2018 | 16 | #7,405 | — | — |
| 2017 | 7 | #14,104 | — | — |
| 2016 | 13 | #8,865 | — | — |
| 2015 | 13 | #8,926 | — | — |
| 2014 | 6 | #16,482 | — | — |
| 2013 | 5 | #19,242 | — | — |
| 2012 | 5 | #19,498 | — | — |
| 2011 | 5 | #19,553 | — | — |
| 2010 | 8 | #13,434 | — | — |
| 2009 | 5 | #20,161 | — | — |
| 2008 | 8 | #13,813 | — | — |
| 2007 | 5 | #20,544 | — | — |
| 2006 | 8 | #13,584 | — | — |
| 2005 | 8 | #12,999 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 5 | #18,069 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | 6 | #15,019 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | 10 | #6,954 | — | — |
| 1980 | 7 | #9,093 | — | — |
| 1975 | 18 | #3,773 | — | — |
| 1970 | 18 | #3,576 | — | — |
| 1965 | 42 | #1,767 | — | — |
| 1960 | 62 | #1,404 | — | — |
| 1955 | 104 | #983 | — | — |
| 1950 | 120 | #793 | — | — |
| 1945 | 168 | #569 | — | — |
| 1940 | 190 | #501 | — | — |
| 1935 | 237 | #423 | — | — |
| 1930 | 370 | #338 | 5 | #4,541 |
| 1925 | 431 | #322 | — | — |
| 1920 | 448 | #308 | — | — |
| 1915 | 487 | #266 | 5 | #4,388 |
| 1910 | 220 | #259 | — | — |
| 1905 | 161 | #259 | — | — |
| 1900 | 131 | #287 | — | — |
| 1895 | 80 | #322 | — | — |
| 1890 | 52 | #357 | — | — |
| 1885 | 18 | #519 | — | — |
| 1880 | 19 | #387 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Zelma mean?
A female given name from Arabic, variant of Selma.
How popular is the name Zelma in 2025?
Zelma ranked #7,128 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 16 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Zelma?
16,936 babies have been named Zelma in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Zelma most popular?
Zelma peaked in 1919, when 494 newborns received the name.
Is Zelma a boy or girl name?
Zelma is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Zelma rising or falling?
Zelma is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.