Zelena
A feminine Slavic name meaning "green" or "verdant."
Name Census estimates that about 381 living Americans carry the first name Zelena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zelena today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zelena births was 2018 (39 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zelena. 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.
People living today
381
~ 1 in 899,618 Americans
Peak year
2018
39 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,103
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Zelena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zelena from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 187 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zelena remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zelena 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 Zelena during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zelenas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Zelena
The name Zelena has its roots in the Slavic languages, particularly Czech and Slovak. It is derived from the word "zelený," which means "green" in both languages. This connection to nature and the color green suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals with a strong affinity for the natural world or those born during the spring season when the earth regains its verdant hue.
The earliest recorded use of the name Zelena can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Bohemia and Moravia, which are now part of the Czech Republic. During this time, the name was predominantly used by members of the nobility and aristocracy, potentially signifying a connection to wealth and prosperity, as green was often associated with fertility and abundance.
In the 15th century, the name Zelena gained prominence in the Czech Republic when it was borne by Zelena of Otradovice, a noblewoman renowned for her charitable works and advocacy for the rights of women and the underprivileged. Her efforts to establish schools and hospitals throughout the region earned her widespread admiration and respect.
Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, Zelena Vrbová (1845-1912) was a celebrated Czech writer and poet who played a significant role in the Czech National Revival movement. Her literary works, which often explored themes of Czech identity and nationalism, contributed to the preservation of the Czech language and culture during a period of intense political turmoil.
Another notable figure bearing the name Zelena was Zelena Jandová (1889-1967), a pioneering Czech physicist and one of the first women to earn a doctorate in physics from Charles University in Prague. Her groundbreaking research in the field of nuclear physics paved the way for future advancements and inspired generations of women to pursue careers in science.
In the realm of fine arts, Zelena Kalousková (1920-1994) was a renowned Czech painter and printmaker whose vibrant abstract compositions captured the essence of the natural world. Her works, which often featured bold strokes of green, reflected her deep connection to the color and its symbolic representation of growth and renewal.
While the name Zelena has its origins in the Czech and Slovak languages, it has also been adopted by other Slavic cultures over time, although its usage has remained relatively uncommon in comparison to more traditional names. Nevertheless, the name's connection to nature, prosperity, and resilience continues to resonate with those who appreciate its rich cultural heritage and poetic symbolism.
People
Zelena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zelena 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
Zelena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zelena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 381 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zelena 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 899,618 US residents.
Is Zelena a common name?
We classify Zelena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 384 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zelena most popular?
The single biggest year for Zelena was 2018, when 39 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zelena is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zelena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zelena 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.
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.