God's helmet or peace
Zelma is often considered a diminutive or variant of Selma. It likely derives from the Germanic name Anselma, meaning 'God's helmet,' or from the Arabic name Salma, meaning 'peace.' It was a popular choice in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but has since become quite rare.
About 16 girls were named Zelma in 2025.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
American actress and singer of the 1920s and 30s
Opera singer and first African American woman to serve as a UN alternate delegate
19th-century Swedish stage actress
