girl's name
Zoella
zoh-EL-uh (English)
- Origin Greek, English
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 6
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 314
Zoella is a girl's name that blends Zoe, Greek for "life," with Ella. US records list it briefly around 1920 and again from 2011, and today it's closely tied to the English YouTuber Zoe Sugg, who took Zoella as her online name.
- Zoella is a name of Greek, English origin.
- Peaked in 2022, when 41 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 276,319 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1920.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Zoella Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1920s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 143 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 158 |
What Zoella Means
Zoella is usually read as life, following Zoe. Ella adds a soft, familiar ending, and the combined name has a playful sound suited to a name that many people meet online.
Where Zoella Comes From
Greek zoe, life, gave the name Zoe, used by Alexandrian Jews to translate Eve, and Christians took it up for saints and an empress of Byzantium. Ella began as a Germanic short form and spread independently. Zoella joins the two, and US records show it in 1920 and 1921, then not again until 2011. Nameberry describes it as a modern combination, and notes that YouTuber Zoe Sugg built hers from Zoë and Elizabeth. MomJunction gives life and suggests several origins, including Filipino and Italian, which reflects its use in different places.
Zoella in Use
Zoe Sugg built a large audience in the 2010s through beauty and lifestyle videos, and the name's recent rise overlaps with her fame. Zoey and Ella are natural short forms for everyday use.
How Popular Is Zoella?
In 2025, Zoella was given to 12 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Zoella Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Zoella
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Zoella Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Zoella over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Zoella
- English zoh-EL-uh
Zoella in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Zoella
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Zoella — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Zoella
What does the name Zoella mean?
It's usually read as life, through the Greek name Zoe.
How do you pronounce Zoella?
zoh-EL-uh.
Where does the name Zoella come from?
It blends Zoe and Ella, and YouTuber Zoe Sugg made it famous.
How popular is the name Zoella?
In 2025, Zoella was given to 12 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Zoella a girl's or a boy's name?
Zoella is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Zoella?
Zoella has 3 syllables.
When was Zoella most popular?
Zoella peaked in 2022, when 41 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Zoella a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Zoella currently ranks #8,672 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.