Zola
Girl name · #1334 in 2025 · Uniqueness 77/100
Zola is currently the #1334 girl name in the United States — 167 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1643, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,778 girls born in 2025 was named Zola.
The 145-year story
Zola first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 278 girls were named Zola — good for #953 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Zola per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zola against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zola in class?
Zola scores 77 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Zola will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zola is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zola is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Zolas were NC (12), TX (11), FL (10), GA (10), NY (10). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Zola
Statistically, parents drawn to Zola tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nola, Zayla, Zaya, Zyla, and Zora.
NolaZaylaZayaZylaZoraEilaNalaZiya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zola | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 167 | #1334 |
| 2024 | 222 | #1103 |
| 2023 | 219 | #1120 |
| 2022 | 250 | #1026 |
| 2021 | 265 | #979 |
| 2020 | 277 | #932 |
| 2019 | 266 | #975 |
| 2018 | 278 | #953 |
| 2017 | 240 | #1067 |
| 2016 | 186 | #1291 |
| 2015 | 130 | #1643 |
| 2014 | 127 | #1665 |
| 2013 | 101 | #1953 |
| 2012 | 96 | #2016 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2989 |
| 2010 | 44 | #3572 |
| 2009 | 50 | #3298 |
| 2008 | 48 | #3420 |
| 2007 | 46 | #3531 |
| 2006 | 54 | #3090 |
| 2005 | 35 | #4029 |
| 2004 | 24 | #5208 |
| 2003 | 31 | #4220 |
| 2002 | 18 | #6129 |
| 2001 | 28 | #4321 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Zola a popular girl name?
Zola ranked #1334 among girls in 2025 with 167 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1643.
When was the name Zola most popular?
Zola peaked in 2018, when 278 American girls received the name (ranked #953 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zola?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,778 newborn American girls was named Zola. It scores 77/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.