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.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
Liberian-American singer and songwriter
