Because of his wit, humorous writings and uncompromising digs on religion, his friends tweaked Zelalem's name into the name of the imminent French writer Zola, whom Zelalem himself read with great enthusiasm.
Kutokana na upeo wake mkubwa, uandishi wa kuvutia, na maaandiko yake yaliyokuwa na mvuto na msimamo wake wa kuidadafua dini, marafiki zake walibadilisha kidogo jina la Zelalem na kuwa jina la mwandishi mashuhuri wa Ufaransa, Zola, ambaye hata Zelalem mwenyewe amekuwa akimsoma kwa shauku kubwa.