The first name Zelda
A girl’s name.
Pronounced /ˈzɛldə/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Shortened from Griselda.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 38 girls were named Zelda, making it the 922nd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2020, with 50 births (#735).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Zelda with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Zelda at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 328 girls born in the United States were named Zelda, the 832nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2020, when 526 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Zelda
5 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Zelda FitzgeraldAmerican writer (1900–1948)
- Zelda RubinsteinAmerican actress (1933-2010)
- Zelda HarrisAmerican actress, born 1985
- Zelda SearsActress, novelist, screenwriter and businesswoman (1873-1935)
- Jackie OrmesCartoonist (1911-1985)
Questions
- What does the name Zelda mean?
- Shortened from Griselda.
- How popular is the name Zelda?
- In 2025, 38 girls born in England and Wales were named Zelda, ranking 922nd. Its peak was 2020, with 50 births.
- Is Zelda a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 16,739 US babies named Zelda since 1880 were girls.
- When was Zelda most popular?
- 2020 in the United States, when 526 babies were named Zelda, its highest rank at 559th.
- How do you pronounce Zelda?
- Zelda is /ˈzɛldə/, 2 syllables.