Zola

Updated: January 31, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Zola is a beautiful baby name with African and literary origins. After close to an 80-year hiatus, Zola came back to the top 1,000 list in 2018. As of 2020, it remains in a top spot on the Social Security Popularity Index.

Meaning of the name Zola:

Xhosa: calm
English: invented name

Origin of the name Zola:

The baby name Zola likely comes from the Xhosa root word “zola.” Most associate it with this South African tribe, however, some date the name back to an English origin. In England, it was likely an invented name that found use in the 1800s.

Symbolism of the name Zola:

The baby name Zola means “calm” in Xhosa because of the word “zola” from the same culture. In England, Zola does not have a direct meaning as it is an “invented name.”

Style of the name Zola:

Classical or traditional

Gender of the name Zola:

Zola is a unisex baby name, but it is more popular for girls.

Pronunciation of the name Zola:

ZO-luh

Number of syllables in the name Zola:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Zola:

Zola feels mysterious and refined. It is strong and serious.

Alternative spellings for the name Zola:

Zolah
Zolla
Zollah

Nicknames for the name Zola:

Zo
Zo Zo
La La
Ola
Zoli
Zolie
Zolee
Zoley
Zee

Popularity of the name Zola:

Zola was a top 1,000 baby name in America until 1941. It ranked on the top 500 list until 1912, with a place on the top 400 list in 1901 and 1903. Zola came back to the limelight in 2018 at rank 957, and in 2020, it ranked number 935.