Cool Baby Names That Start with Z

This unusual and alluring choice was used by David Mamet for his daughter, who is now grown and an actress on the hit show Girls.

Appealing sound and meaning, but there is that discount-store association.

Zesty brother of Cade and Slade.

When the Eddie Murphys named their fourth daughter Zola, it affirmed the up-and-coming status of the name, which has African roots, but also literary links to Emile Zola. Zola may also be recognizable to some as the adopted daughter of Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd on the hit, long-running show Grey's Anatomy.

A popular name in the Middle East and one of the most evocative choices of its genre. One of the 99 names of Allah. The feminine form is Zahira.

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.

Familiar through the similarly pronounced TV Warrior Princess, but the original Xena spelling is cooler.

Abbreviated form of Zahara that was used by Chris Rock for his daughter and as a middle name by both Eddie Murphy and David Bowie. Compared with the even-more-abbreviated Zara, Zahra may create more spelling problems but clarify pronunciation.

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.

Zealand is the English translation of the Dutch province name Zeeland (originally Seelant). It's more commonly associated with New Zealand, the Oceanic country named by the Dutch. As a baby name, Zealand entered the popularity charts for boys in 2000, but has never been given to more than 40 babies in a single year. It is used for girls as well, but with less frequency.

More commonly known as the Mongolian Gazelle, the Zeren is an antelope that lives on the steppes of central Asia.

Zariyah has several possible origins: the Arabic Zahrah which means "flower" or Zariya "scattering wind"; the Hebrew name Azariah, meaning "God has helped"; or the Russian word Zaria which means "sunrise, dawn."

A thirteenth-century Tuscan saint, patron of homemakers, Zita is the kind of name that sounded really creative in an earlier era.

Although this Old Testament name is soft and delicate, it runs the risk of conjuring up the monstrous Godzilla.

A popular nickname that, over the past few decades, has acquired enough standing to work on its own, a la earlier equivalents such as Jack and Max; an alternative to Zach/Zack. Actor/singer Zac Efron--born Zachary--is an attractive current bearer.

Though a common name in Hungary, the relatively rare Z sound is striking to English speakers. Penn Gillette used the Zolten spelling for his son; it was also the name of Dracula's dog, and was also a robotic character in Dude, Where's My Car?.

Newer than Zac, cooler than Ed, Ned, or Ted.

Popular girls' name in Syria. In Yiddish, pronounced ZAE-dah, this is a term for grandfather.

As Sophia gets more popular, parents search out more unusual spins, and the Z makes this qualify.

Not related to Zack, Zacky, Zachary, or Zachariah – but many will assume it is.