Zelie
Girl name · #1701 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Zelie? In official American birth records, Zelie has been tracked continuously since 2002, giving it 23 years of documented American history.
Zelie ranks #1701 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 121 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3254, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,876 girls born in 2025 was named Zelie.
Babies named Zelie per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 23-year story
Zelie first appears in the Social Security records in 2002, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 142 girls were named Zelie — good for #1491 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zelie against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zelie in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zelie is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zelie will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zelie is most common
State-level data for Zelie 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 Zelie
Statistically, parents drawn to Zelie tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Wylie, Adalie, Everlie, Bowie, and Novalie.
WylieAdalieEverlieBowieNovalieOaklieWeslieAzelie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zelie | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 121 | #1692 |
| 2024 | 111 | #1810 |
| 2023 | 116 | #1762 |
| 2022 | 106 | #1898 |
| 2021 | 142 | #1491 |
| 2020 | 100 | #1908 |
| 2019 | 111 | #1833 |
| 2018 | 79 | #2302 |
| 2017 | 84 | #2236 |
| 2016 | 87 | #2206 |
| 2015 | 50 | #3254 |
| 2014 | 25 | #5310 |
| 2013 | 19 | #6462 |
| 2012 | 16 | #7456 |
| 2011 | 18 | #6855 |
| 2010 | 22 | #5977 |
| 2009 | 13 | #8888 |
| 2008 | 10 | #10807 |
| 2007 | 5 | #17636 |
| 2006 | 6 | #15152 |
| 2005 | 6 | #14502 |
| 2004 | 6 | #14179 |
| 2003 | 6 | #13844 |
| 2002 | 5 | #15432 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zelie?
In official American birth records, the name Zelie first appeared in 2002 (over 23 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 23 years.
Is Zelie a popular girl name?
Zelie ranked #1701 among girls in 2025 with 121 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3254.
When was the name Zelie most popular?
Zelie peaked in 2021, when 142 American girls received the name (ranked #1491 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zelie?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,876 newborn American girls was named Zelie. 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.