Zelia
Girl name · #4271 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Zelia? In official American birth records, Zelia has been tracked continuously since 1883, giving it 142 years of documented American history.
Zelia is currently the #4271 girl name in the United States — 33 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #5288, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 girls born in 2025 was named Zelia.
Babies named Zelia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 142-year story
Zelia first appears in the Social Security records in 1883, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 33 babies and a rank of #4265. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zelia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zelia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zelia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zelia will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zelia is most common
State-level data for Zelia is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Zelia
Statistically, parents drawn to Zelia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zalia, Galia, Nalia, Xylia, and Azelia.
ZaliaGaliaNaliaXyliaAzeliaSiciliaEmmeliaHalia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zelia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #4265 |
| 2024 | 23 | #5443 |
| 2023 | 21 | #5752 |
| 2022 | 23 | #5465 |
| 2021 | 17 | #6691 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6083 |
| 2019 | 17 | #6698 |
| 2018 | 21 | #5785 |
| 2017 | 18 | #6531 |
| 2016 | 23 | #5622 |
| 2015 | 25 | #5288 |
| 2014 | 19 | #6451 |
| 2013 | 22 | #5834 |
| 2012 | 18 | #6872 |
| 2011 | 12 | #9150 |
| 2010 | 17 | #7217 |
| 2009 | 22 | #6091 |
| 2008 | 21 | #6350 |
| 2007 | 12 | #9539 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8237 |
| 2005 | 16 | #7138 |
| 2004 | 5 | #16099 |
| 2003 | 14 | #7580 |
| 2002 | 6 | #13595 |
| 2001 | 6 | #13521 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zelia?
In official American birth records, the name Zelia first appeared in 1883 (over 142 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Zelia a popular girl name?
Zelia ranked #4271 among girls in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #5288.
When was the name Zelia most popular?
Zelia peaked in 2025, when 33 American girls received the name (ranked #4265 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Zelia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American girls was named Zelia. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.