Shadow, blessed, or zealous
Zella has multiple potential etymological paths. It is often considered a diminutive of Marcella, meaning 'warlike,' or a variant of the Hebrew name Sela, meaning 'shadow' or 'rock.' In some contexts, it is associated with the Germanic root for 'blessed' or 'happy.'
Less common today
Zella isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #1,269 in 2021.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
American singer-songwriter
American country music singer and performer
American author, librarian, and scholar
