Given name & surname · also Italian, French
Zola
“a piece of earth”·“one who is quiet and tranquil”
Zola is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a piece of earth” and “one who is quiet and tranquil”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a piece of earth” and “one who is quiet and tranquil”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with French and Italian naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zola through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,312
- 26 boys · 9,286 girls
- Most popular year
- 2018
- 283 babies
- 2025
- 167
- #1,338 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 167 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,338 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 9.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 278 in 2018. In 2025, North Carolina had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (12). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,216 as a first name in 2020; 1,003 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Zola’s family of names
Zola has a related form in Zoila. Zola has a related form in Zoela. Zola has a related form in Zolah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Zola
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Zola, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Nala
“a successful woman” · “of the olive tree”
>99% girls
Zarina
“golden, a golden vessel” · “the golden one; made of gold”
>99% girls
Zira
“the pathway”
>99% girls
Camilla
“a ceremonial attendant; a noble virgin”
>99% girls
Xola
“stay in peace”
>99% girls
Zuri
“a beauty” · “lovely and white”
2% boys · 98% girls
Ramla
“a prophetess”
>99% girls
Aina
“child born of a complicated delivery”
>99% girls