Boy Dog Names That Start With Z

Zack

Short form of Zachary or Zachariah

As the common short form of Zachary or, more unusually, Zachariah, Zack is less intuitive than Zach or Zac in terms of spelling but clearer in terms of pronunciations. Maybe because it rhymes with…

Ziggy

German, diminutive of Siegfried and Sigmund

"victorious peace; victorious protection; victory"

Perhaps the ultimate nicknamey name, Ziggy manages to sound cool, cutesy, spiky, and energetic all at once. It brings to mind the glam-rock of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the cool vibes of reggae…

Zeppelin

German word name from Slavic

"zeppelin; flail"

In a baby name landscape where word names and names that start with Z are infinitely cool, there are few options for parents who want to combine trends. Zeppelin is one of the best names at the…

Zealand

English place name from Dutch

"sea land"

Sunny and energetic, but with a hint of cool cowboy, Zealand has been sparingly used since the 2000s, Zealand but shot up the charts in 2021 after YouTube family The Labrants gave it to their son the…

Zach

See Zac.

Zeno

Anglicized form of Greek Zenon, related to Zeus, king of the gods

Zeno, the name of two ancient philosophers, has a muscular dynamism that's lightened by its cheerful final vowel, resulting in a kind of offbeat sci-fi feel. Zeno of Citium was the founder of the…

Zenith

English

"the point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer"

Zenith is an uplifting if quirky word name, meaning the top or the peak. Eight boys received the name in one recent year, only a third of those who were called Nadir -- the low point!

Zuko

Xhosa

"glory"

No, this name is not an homage to Grease! Zuko is a Xhosa (Zulu) boys' name meaning glory. In a world of Zekes, Zaks and Zanes, Zuko could make a refreshing choice for parents looking for something…

Zadok

Hebrew

"righteous"

A rarely heard biblical name, Zadok is borne by no less than nine Old Testament men. The most famous was a priest who lived during the reign of King David, whom he helped and supported, and was…

Zebulon

Hebrew

"exaltation or little dwelling"

An Old Testament name with a Puritan feel and post-Zachary possibilities--one of several routes to the cool nickname Zeb. Pike's Peak was named for Zebulon Pike, the best known bearer of the name. In…

Zebedee

English variation of Hebrew Zebediah

"gift of God"

Zebedee is an adorable and unusual New Testament name--which may sound like but is not a contradiction in terms. Unlike some of the longer biblical Z -names, Zebedee has a more lighthearted…

Zebediah

Hebrew

"gift of Jehovah"

Biblical names are expanding (literally) as some parents move from Isaiah and Elijah to more elaborate choices with simple short forms, like Jedidiah and Zebediah. Zebediah, or Zebadiah, is the New…

Zevi

Hebrew

"gazelle, roebuck"

Zevi is an alternative transcription of the Hebrew name Zvi or Tzvi, the latter of which is a Top 100 pick in Israel. It's a cool, sharp-sounding name which would make for a great distinctive…

Zero

English and Italian from Arabic and Sanskrit

"void"

Zero has been documented as a given name before, but it's largely familiar as a stage name (such as Zero Mostel, born Samuel Joel Mostel) and comic book and anime characters. Nevertheless, fourteen…

Zohar

Hebrew

"light, brilliance"

Though this name is used for both boys and girls in Israel, in the U.S. it sounds decidedly masculine, with Zohara the feminine form. Has a futuristic macho feel.

Zeb

Diminutive of Zebediah or Zebulon, Hebrew

"gift of God, exaltation, or little dwelling"

Short and to-the-point, it turns an ancient biblical name into a friendly cowboy.

Zia

Arabic, Hebrew

"splendour, light, glow; shaking, trembling"

A succinct variation of Ziya, Zia is an Arabic boy name, with a glowing meaning, also used as the Urdu and Bengali transcription. Notable bearers of the name include Bangaledeshi politician Ziaur…

Zlatan

South Slavic

"gold"

Derived from Slavic zlato "gold", this strong and dynamic name has a fitting namesake in Swedish professional footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović. It is used in Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,…

Zelig

Yiddish variation of Selig

"blessed, happy"

A super quirky and upbeat choice, if it can ever shake off its ubiquitous-guy Woody Allen identity.

Ziven

Slavic, Hebrew

"vigorous, lively; bright, radiant"

Ziven is a sleek choice with multicultural origins and a bright, energized feel to it. From its Slavic roots, it likely derives from the South Slavic word, živ meaning "alive, living", making it a…