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Origin, Meaning, And History of Zelda
Zelda is a Yiddish name that means “fortunate” or “happy.” It is a shorter version of the name Griselda, which denotes “Grey battle” in Germanic languages and was famous throughout the Middle Ages. The name was given to girls as a representation of strength and perseverance. The name Selda, which translates to “Grey battling woman” in German, may have some connection to Griselda’s etymology.
According to some sources, the name Zelda may have Hebrew roots and be derived from the word “Tzedek,” which means “justice” or “righteousness.” Overall, the name Zelda’s precise origin is unknown, and it may have multiple roots depending on culture and language.
The phonetic spelling of the name Zelda is Zehl-duh. There are many variations of this mighty name in different languages. These include Selda or Zeldá in French, Celda in Spanish, Zelde in German and Italian, Celda in Portuguese, Zeldy in Czech, and Zeldina in Hungarian.
The name was popularized in the early 20th century by the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, who called his wife Zelda. Their relationship was frequently stormy due to her dynamic and free-spirited attitude. The couple rose to fame as “Roaring Twenties” idols in America, and their approach to life and writing influenced a generation of writers and artists.
The success of the video game series The Legend of Zelda boosted the name’s popularity in the 1980s. Shigeru Miyamoto, the game’s designer, named the main character after F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wife, and the game became a cultural sensation. Zelda, therefore, became associated with adventure, inventiveness, and strength.
Some other fictional characters that gave life to the name Zelda include Zelda Spooner from Anita Shreve’s “The Last Time They Met,” Zelda, a character in Stephen King’s novel Pet Sematary, and Zelda in Paula McLain’s The Paris Wife. In this work, Zelda is a friend of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley.
Despite its recent decline in popularity, the name Zelda has retained cultural significance, mainly through its link with the fictitious video game character Princess Zelda from the famous “Legend of Zelda” series.
How To Pronounce Zelda?
Famous People With The Name Zelda
- Zelda HarrisAmerican actress known for her movie “The Baby-sitter’s club”
- Zelda WilliamsAmerican actress, directed music videos and short films, and performed as a video game voice actor
- Zelda GamsonAmerican writer, activist, and sociologist, research is mainly centered on the sociology of higher education, particularly innovation and change
- Zelda LockhartAmerican writer, speaker, and researcher, owner of LaVenson Press and Her Story Garden Studios
- Zelda Seguin WallaceAmerican opera singer and suffragist, well known in the US for being the first to sing the title part of Carmen in English
- Zelda NordlingerAmerican feminist and women’s rights advocate, served as the NOW chapter’s coordinator in Virginia in the 1960s
- Zelda PopkinAmerican author famous for mysteries and novels, created Mary Carner, one of fiction’s first professional female private detectives
Zelda On The Popularity Chart
The name Zelda has a long history of its usage. To learn more about its popularity and ranking, take a look at these graphs.
Popularity Over Time
Zelda was not a popular name between the 1980s and early 2000s. However, its popularity started increasing significantly after 2010. In 2020, 523 babies per million were named Zelda. Check out this graph to understand its evolution.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
In 1980, Zelda ranked 4148th, and with time, this ranking kept fluctuating. In 1995, it was placed at 15,746. However, recent years have seen an improvement in its ranking as it can be seen in 2021, it moved on to 606. The graph below can help you understand more.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Zelda
For parents looking for a beautiful and distinctive name for their child, there are numerous names that sound similar to Zelda. Consider checking the following list.
Names With Similar Meaning As Zelda
Zelda is a name that denotes joy or good fortune. Parents who want names with similar meanings can look at these options.
Name Numerology For Zelda
