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Zelda

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Diminutive of Griselda
"gray fighting maid"

Zelda Origin and Meaning

The name Zelda is a girl's name of German origin meaning "gray fighting maid".

Classified as an early beauty, Zelda has long and often been used as such for characters in books and films. Since 1986, Zelda has been a prime Nintendo name, as in the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Zelda was in baby name limbo for a number of years, but it's making a comeback with the interest in Z (and X) names. It was one of the fastest-rising girls’ names of 2015, when it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in nearly 50 years.

For many, there will always be a strong association to Scott Fitzgerald's tortured wife, herself a writer and a symbol of the 1920's Jazz Age — also the subject of a recent novel-turned-television show.

Trivia tidbit: Marilyn Monroe was known to sometimes use the pseudonym Zelda Zonk.

# 669 in the US

Zelda Rank in US Top 1000

# 180 on Nameberry

Zelda Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Zelda Popularity

20 Names Similar to Zelda

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Famous People Named Zelda

  • Zelda FitzgeraldAmerican novelist; wife of novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Zelda May RubinsteinAmerican actress
  • Zelda PopkinAmerican mystery novelist
  • Zelda HarrisAmerican actress
  • Zelda SearsAmerican actress and writer
  • Zelda Rae WilliamsAmerican actress; daughter of Robin Williams
  • Zelda June Topolskydaughter of tech guru Joshua Topolsky of Engadget
  • Zelda Violet Frissberg (b. 2015)daughter of Emma Bloomberg and Chris Frissora; granddaughter of politician Michael Bloomberg

Zelda in Pop Culture

  • Zeldacharacter in the hit game series, The Legend of Zelda.
  • Zelda Heapcharacter in the Septimus Heap book series
  • Zelda SpellmanSabrina's aunt on TV's "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and Netflix's "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina"
  • Zeldacharacter in Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast
  • Zeldaa main character in Morris Gleitzman's "Once," "Then," "After" and "Now"
  • Zelda Zonka pseudonym used by Marilyn Monroe
  • Zelda Reginhardcharacter in anime and manga series Lotte no Omocha!
  • Zeldacharacter in the British TV series Terrahawks
  • Zelda Dobinskicharacter in Jenny Nimmo's "The Children of the Red King" series
  • Zelda Maecharacter in "The Sims 3" computer game