Meaning unknown, perhaps an invented name. It has been in occasional use in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. It coincides with an Italian surname, a famous bearer being the French-Italian author Émile Zola (1840-1902). Means "quiet, tranquil" in Zulu. Zola is probably an invented name and the meaning is unclear. Some sources suggest that it was taken from an Italian surname Zola, made famous by the writer Emile Zola. It is also used in one of the African languages, where it means "peaceful".
