Given name & surname
Zela
“one who is blessed with happiness”
Zela is used as a given name and a surname. One Greek interpretation is “one who is blessed with happiness.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Greek interpretation is “one who is blessed with happiness.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1889. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zela through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 609
- 0 boys · 609 girls
- Most popular year
- 1916
- 21 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #8,852 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +11%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,852 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 11.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 21 in 1916. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 297 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Zela, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Tekla
“glory of God”
>99% girls
Zenobia
Zenobia is a feminine given name from Latin, ultimately from Arabic. It is used in English, Italian, Polish, and Occitan.
>99% girls
Euphemia
“one who speaks well”
>99% girls
Thyra
“the shield-bearer”
>99% girls
Onella
“lady of light”
>99% girls
Leitha
>99% girls
Thelma
“one who is ambitious and willful”
>99% girls
Vara
“the stranger; one who is care-”
>99% girls