Zoella
A feminine name derived from the name Zoe meaning "life" in Greek.
Name Census estimates that about 284 living Americans carry the first name Zoella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zoella today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zoella births was 2022 (41 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zoella. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Zoella with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
284
~ 1 in 1,206,881 Americans
Peak year
2022
41 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,366
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Zoella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zoella from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 143 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zoella by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Zoella during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zoellas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Zoella
The name Zoella is a relatively modern invention, with no clear historical roots or direct etymological origins. It appears to be a creative combination of the popular names Zoe, meaning "life" in Greek, and the suffix "-ella," which is a diminutive form commonly used in names like Bella, Ella, and Gabriella.
While the name Zoella itself does not have any ancient or religious references, its components have been used in various contexts throughout history. The name Zoe, for instance, has been a popular Greek name for centuries, with its earliest known use dating back to ancient Greece.
The first recorded use of the name Zoella is relatively recent, with no known examples prior to the 20th century. One of the earliest notable individuals to bear the name was Zoella Eugenia Mugge, an American writer and editor born in 1892 in Pennsylvania. She was known for her work in children's literature and her contributions to various publications.
Another notable Zoella was Zoella Luckie, an American blues singer and guitarist born in 1924 in Mississippi. She was active in the blues scene in the mid-20th century and is remembered for her unique vocal style and guitar playing.
In more recent times, the name Zoella gained widespread recognition thanks to Zoe Sugg, a British YouTuber and author born in 1990, who goes by the online moniker "Zoella." Her popular lifestyle and beauty vlogging channel has amassed millions of subscribers, making her one of the most influential content creators on the platform.
Another contemporary figure with the name Zoella is Zoella Compton, an American actress best known for her role in the film "Juwanna Mann" in 2002. She has also appeared in various television shows and commercials throughout her career.
While the name Zoella may not have a long historical lineage, its modern popularity and association with influential figures in various fields have solidified its place in contemporary culture, particularly in the digital age.
People
Zoella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zoella as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zoella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zoella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 284 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zoella going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,206,881 US residents.
Is Zoella a common name?
We classify Zoella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 296 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zoella most popular?
The single biggest year for Zoella was 2022, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zoella is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Zoella in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zoella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zoella in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Zoella still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zoella in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Zoella can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Zoella?
Find out how many people share the name Zoella on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.