Zelie is a French name of uncertain origin, usually explained as a pet form of Azélie and linked to the flower name "azalea", or treated as a variant of Celia. It has become a favorite with Catholic families since Zélie Martin, mother of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, was canonized in 2015. In the United States Zelie climbed from number 3297 in 2015 to a peak of number 1497 in 2021 and ranks number 1702 in 2025.