The name can either be a Yiddish feminine form of Selig (blessed; happy) or a diminutive form of Griselda.
The name came became somewhat widespread at the turn of the 20th-century thanks to the American writer, Zelda Fitzgerald (1900-1948), who in her case, was named for the fictional characters in Jane Howard’s Zelda: A Tale of the Massachusetts Colony (1866) and Robert Edward Francillon’s Zelda’s Fortune (1874).
Despite its vintage feel, Zelda has only recently appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 within the last 2 years, first entering in 2015. It is currently the 689th most popular female name.
This is also the name of the character from the video game series, The Legend of Zelda by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka.
Other notable bearers include American fashion designer, Zelda Wynn Valdes (1905-2001), American actress Zelda Rubenstein (1933-2010) and American actress, daughter of Robin Williams, Zelda Williams (b.1986).
Another form is Selda.
The name has also occurred in occasional use in French-speaking countries, Spanish and Portuguese-Speaking countries and German-Speaking countries.
Sources