Zelda
Girl name · #832 in 2025 · Uniqueness 71/100
Zelda is currently the #832 girl name in the United States — 328 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #648, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,488 girls born in 2025 was named Zelda.
The 145-year story
Zelda first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2020, when 526 girls were named Zelda — good for #558 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Zelda per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zelda against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zelda in class?
Zelda scores 71 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Zelda will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zelda is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zelda is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Zeldas were CA (44), TX (38), NY (25), GA (12), IL (12). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Zelda
Statistically, parents drawn to Zelda tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Vada, Zayla, Zora, Vayda, and Matilda.
VadaZaylaZoraVaydaMatildaVedaZolaZoya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zelda | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 328 | #832 |
| 2024 | 377 | #747 |
| 2023 | 403 | #704 |
| 2022 | 435 | #670 |
| 2021 | 492 | #608 |
| 2020 | 526 | #558 |
| 2019 | 436 | #664 |
| 2018 | 442 | #667 |
| 2017 | 456 | #648 |
| 2016 | 426 | #687 |
| 2015 | 443 | #648 |
| 2014 | 214 | #1156 |
| 2013 | 183 | #1286 |
| 2012 | 139 | #1566 |
| 2011 | 81 | #2298 |
| 2010 | 69 | #2614 |
| 2009 | 59 | #2940 |
| 2008 | 54 | #3120 |
| 2007 | 53 | #3214 |
| 2006 | 49 | #3316 |
| 2005 | 40 | #3646 |
| 2004 | 30 | #4492 |
| 2003 | 29 | #4418 |
| 2002 | 24 | #4906 |
| 2001 | 22 | #5174 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Zelda a popular girl name?
Zelda ranked #832 among girls in 2025 with 328 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #648.
When was the name Zelda most popular?
Zelda peaked in 2020, when 526 American girls received the name (ranked #558 that year). Since 2020 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zelda?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,488 newborn American girls was named Zelda. It scores 71/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.