Shadow, zeal, or to be happy
Zela is a name with multiple potential etymological roots. It is often considered a diminutive of Marcella or Hazel, but it also appears in African contexts and as a variant of the Hebrew name Zillah, meaning shadow. In some interpretations, it is linked to the Greek word for zeal or the Yiddish word for happy.
Less common today
Zela isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #7,641 in 2021.
Liberian-American singer and songwriter
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
