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Cool Baby Names That Start with Z

  1. Zaire

    • Origin:

      Place name, Congo

    • Meaning:

      "the river that swallows all rivers"

    • Description:

      Zaire was a Central African state from 1971 to 1997 that has recently risen up the charts as a boys name. Deriving from a Congo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers", it makes a bold and wearable choice for a son.
  2. Zephaniah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God has hidden"

    • Description:

      A minor prophet who has his own Book, Zephaniah is another Old Testament gem waiting to be rediscovered now that Noah and Abraham are becoming too trendy.
  3. Zariah

    • Origin:

      Arabic, Hebrew, Russian

    • Meaning:

      "flower, God has helped, dawn"

    • Description:

      Zariah has three possible origins: the Arabic Zahrah which means ‘flower’, the Hebrew name Azariah, meaning ‘God has helped’, or the Russian word Zaria which means ‘sunrise/dawn’. Either way, it's a strong and striking name with a range of lovely meanings.
  4. Zelie

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "noble"

    • Description:

      A cute, zippy French saint's name that's picking up in popularity there, and starting to in the US as well. Zélie originated as a short form of Azélie, thought to derive from Adelaide via the Occitan form Azalaïs. Saint Zélie was born Marie-Azélie.
  5. Zella

    • Origin:

      African, Bobangi, Libyan place name, diminutive of Rosella, Marcella, Gizella, or Isabella

    • Meaning:

      "lacking nothing, one who knows the way"

    • Description:

      Sunny, sassy, and stylish, Zella is a multicultural and versatile choice which works across multiple languages. Popular back in the early 19th century, Zella is now catching the attention of cotemporary parent as a rival to Ella, Stella, and Della.
  6. Zuzu

    • Origin:

      Czech diminutive of Susan

    • Meaning:

      "lily"

    • Description:

      This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like Gigi and Bibi.

  7. Zev

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "wolf"

    • Description:

      Zev is a short, simple, animal name that may relate to the Old Testament Ze'ev -- except he was a villainous character.
  8. Zeno

    • Origin:

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

    • Description:

      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 Stoic school of thought, Zeno of Elea was another early, original Greek thinker, famed for his Paradoxes.
  9. Zen

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "meditation"

    • Description:

      A spiritual word name used by actor Zoe Saldana for her son as well as more recently Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott for their late son. Zen has been trending in recent years along with other spiritual names such as Bodhi and Zion, and recently entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2022.
  10. Zadie

    • Origin:

      English variation of Sadie, from Sarah, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "princess"

    • Description:

      When aspiring British writer Sadie Smith decided to change her name to the more distinctive and zippy Zadie at the age of fourteen, this attention-magnet name was born. But though it might sound like a modern initial-switch, Zadie was actually Number 539 in 1881, remaining in the Top 1000 for almost thirty years.
  11. Zeb

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Zebediah or Zebulon, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God, exaltation, or little dwelling"

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Zephyr, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "west wind"

    • Description:

      Zephyr may not be a name often heard in the U.S., but its variations are used throughout Europe. Zephyrine, a cousin in sound and feel if not in fact to such lovely names as Severine and Seraphina, has distinctive possibilities.
  13. Zimri

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "my music, my praise"

    • Description:

      This unusual and spunky biblical name was one of the Kings of Israel as well as one of Judah's grandsons and has a wonderful meaning. We'd like to see Zimri being used more, and we think it has potential — "traveling lite" names, or 2 syllable names ending in -i, such as Zuri, Ezri, and Rafi are red-hot right now.
  14. Zariyah

    • Origin:

      Arabic, Hebrew, Russian

    • Meaning:

      "scattering wind; God has helped; sunrise, dawn"

    • Description:

      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."
  15. Zorian

    • Description:

      Zorian is a masculine name with Slavic and Greek roots. It derives from the Slavic element 'zor' or 'zori' meaning 'dawn' or 'sunrise,' symbolizing new beginnings and hope. Some connect it to the Greek name Zorus or to Zorios, an epithet of Apollo as a god of light. In Eastern European countries, particularly Russia, Ukraine, and Poland, Zorian has historical usage though it remains relatively uncommon. The name carries a celestial quality with its connection to light and daybreak, while its distinctive sound offers a contemporary feel despite its ancient origins. Zorian has gained modest international appeal in recent years as parents seek names that are both meaningful and uncommon, with a balanced combination of strength and melodic quality.

  16. Zade

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name or variation of Zayd, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "increase, growth"

    • Description:

      You might think of this as the zesty brother of Cade and Slade. Or Zade might appeal to you as an anglicized spelling of the Arabic Zayd or Zaid, the name of an enslaved man that Muhammad adopted as his son.
  17. Zada

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "fortunate, prosperous"

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      African, Congolese; also literary name

    • Meaning:

      "piece of earth"

    • Description:

      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.
  19. Zenobia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "force of Zeus"

    • Description:

      With historical roots as a beautiful and intelligent ancient queen and literary ties to Hawthorne and Edith Wharton novels, this rarity could appeal to adventurous parents seeking the romantically unusual. Tina Fey used it as her daughter Alice's middle name.
  20. Zevi

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "gazelle, roebuck"

    • Description:

      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 alternative to Levi.