Home › Baby Names Directory › Zelig

Zelig

♂ Boy

Pronounced ZEH-lig /ˈzɛ.lɪɡ/Medium

Meaning: From Yiddish zelig (German selig), 'blessed; happy; fortunate; holy'Low

In 30 seconds: Blessed; happy; holy: Zelig is Yiddish. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'ZEH-lig').

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowYiddish

MeaningFrom Yiddish zelig (German selig), 'blessed; happy; fortunate; holy'

U.S. rank (2025)#8900 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births9 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2019

Total births (all-time)≈ 190

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Zelig comes from Yiddish zelig (German selig), 'blessed; happy; fortunate; holy'. A crisp, classic name common in Orthodox Jewish families (said 'ZEH-lig').

In the U.S. it appears in Jewish families. Rare, blessed-and-happy at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Zelig means 'blessed; happy; fortunate; holy' in Yiddish (from German selig) — a crisp, classic name (made known by Woody Allen's film Zelig; said 'ZEH-lig').

Overall data confidence 44%

References — Zelig — Yiddish etymology

Variations

SeligZelighZelik

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Zelig…

Mendel— a sound-neighbor Yiddish boys' name

Zalmen— lands in the same popularity range

Zalman— a fellow Yiddish choice

Zaide— another Yiddish name

Dovid— a fellow Yiddish choice

Explore names like Zelig

By themejewish yiddish

By meaningGod / Divine Joy Gift / Blessing Blessed / Happy

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Zelig mean?

Zelig is Yiddish for 'blessed; happy; fortunate; holy'.

How do you pronounce Zelig?

It's said ZEH-lig /ˈzɛ.lɪɡ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Zelig a boy or girl name?

Zelig is a boy's name.

How popular is Zelig?

Zelig is a rare name in the U.S.