Zelie
Girl name · #1701 in 2025 · Uniqueness 61/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Zelie scores 61 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Zelie is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zelie is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Zelies were TX (10), IN (8), CA (7), FL (7), MI (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 61/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.