Zeljko

The male first name Zeljko, also spelled Željko, carries the meaning 'the desired one' or 'the longed-for one'. This derivation comes from the Serbo-Croatian term žȅlja (жеља), which means 'dream, wish, longing, desire'.

What does the name Zeljko mean?

Zeljko, or Željko, is a male name that translates to 'the desired one' or 'the longed-for one'. This name has its roots in the Serbo-Croatian word žȅlja (жеља), which means 'dream, wish, longing, desire'. Parents who choose this name often express that their son is a long-awaited child. The name Željko is widely used in the South Slavic region and is especially popular in countries like Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia. It is often used as a nickname or calling name for the first name Želimir. The female counterpart to Željko is Željka.

Where does the name Zeljko come from?

The name Zeljko has Old Slavic and Serbo-Croatian roots and means 'the desired one' or 'the longed-for one'. The Old Slavic

How do you pronounce Zeljko?

Seljko

Popularity

In Germany, Zeljko is a rather rare first name. In 2021, it ranked 5,195th on the list of the most popular male baby names. The highest ranking the name achieved was in 1975, reaching 124th place. In the last ten years, Zeljko has been given as a first name about 40 times, placing it 3,754th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 3,540th.

Nicknames & pet names

Telko / Zac / Zaki / Zeki / Zel / Zeli / Zelj Eljko / Zelja / Zeljac / Zeljo

Similar first names

Zeljo

Famous people

• Zeljko Babic (Australian football player)
• Zeljko Bebek (rock and pop musician)
• Zeljko Bozic (actor from Yugoslavia)
• Zeljko Crnogorac (Yugoslav football player)
• Zeljko Dakic (football player from Yugoslavia)
• Zeljko Filipovic (Slovenian footballer)
• Zeljko Joksimovic (singer (Eurovision Song Contest 2004))
• Zeljko Kalac (Australian football player)
• Zeljko Kalajdzic (Yugoslav football player)
• Zeljko Kaludarovic (football player from Yugoslavia)
• Zeljko Kljajevic (Yugoslav football player)
• Zeljko Loparic (philosopher from Croatia)
• Zeljko Mavrovic (Croatian boxer (heavyweight))
• Zeljko Mijovic (football player from Yugoslavia)
• Zeljko Misic (Yugoslav football player)
• Zeljko Nims (Yugoslav handball player)
• Zeljko Obradovic (Serbian basketball player)
• Zeljko Polak (Yugoslav football player)
• Zeljko Raznjatovic (also known as Arkan), Serbian paramilitary with a criminal past, accused of genocide and expulsions during the Yugoslav Wars. Indicted by the International Criminal Court.
• Zeljko Rebraca (former Serbian basketball player)