Zella

At a Glance: Name: Zella – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: ZEL-ah

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Zella is pronounced ZEL-ah (IPA /ˈzɛlə/) and is a girl's name with a free-spirited, boho, clean, modern, outdoorsy, nature-inspired feel. You may see it described as meaning 'lacking' or tied to a flower, but that gloss isn't backed by any source — Zella more likely started as a short form of a longer name like Marcella or Zelda. If you're drawn to the sound, that's the honest starting point.

Meaning & Origin of Zella

A common claim: Zella is sometimes said to mean 'lacking' or to reference a flower. Actually: There's no reliable evidence for this Hebrew meaning; Zella is more likely a short form of a longer name like Marcella or Zelda.

How to Pronounce Zella

Phonetic: ZEL-ah   IPA: /ˈzɛlə/

Popularity of Zella

Zella hit its high point at #220 back in 1888, with 111 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had fallen to #1858, even though the count — 108 babies — was almost identical.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Zella Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Zella, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Esti
• Jael
• Nyomi
• Reva
• Zahli
• Zerra

FAQ

What does the name Zella mean?

Zella is sometimes said to mean ‘lacking’ or to reference a flower. There’s no reliable evidence for this Hebrew meaning; Zella is more likely a short form of a longer name like Marcella or Zelda.

How do you pronounce Zella?

Zella is pronounced ZEL-ah (IPA: /ˈzɛlə/).

Is Zella a popular name right now?

Zella peaked at #220 in 1888 and is ranked #1858 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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