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Cool Baby Names That Start with Z

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Zachariah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, form of Zechariah

    • Meaning:

      "the Lord has remembered"

    • Description:

      This distinguished name still feels a bit ancient, but with the rise of such former graybeards as Jeremiah and Elijah, it also sounds child-friendly again, as does the Latin-Greek form Zacharias.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Zuko

    • Origin:

      Xhosa

    • Meaning:

      "glory"

    • Description:

      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 short and snappy.
  7. Zuri

    • Origin:

      Swahili

    • Meaning:

      "good, beautiful"

    • Description:

      A Swahili name with a positive meaning, Zuri came to the attention of American parents when an Ohio zoo used it for a female giraffe. It subsequently shot up the charts in 2010, peaking in 2022 when it reached the Top 200. A more recent year saw it given to 1140 girls (and 22 boys).
  8. Zaria

    • Origin:

      African place-name, variant of Zahra, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "rose; to shine, to bloom"

    • Description:

      Zaria, the name of the Nigerian capital city, could be another Z name for parents to consider. It currently ranks lower than variations Zariah and Zariyah.
  9. Zero

    • Origin:

      Italian from Arabic and Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "void"

    • Description:

      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. Seven boys were called Zero is a recent year.
  10. 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.
  11. Zebedee

    • Origin:

      English variation of Hebrew Zebediah

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"

    • Description:

      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 usability, with its gleeful ee-ending. And Zeb makes a fabulous nickname.
  12. Zada

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "fortunate, prosperous"

    • Description:

      Popular girls' name in Syria. In Yiddish, pronounced ZAE-dah, this is a term for grandfather.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  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. 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."
  17. 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.
  18. Zita

    • Origin:

      Italian or Persian; Greek

    • Meaning:

      "little girl; seeker"

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      Variation of Tziporah, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "bird"

    • Description:

      There are many variations of this name, with or without the initial T and the final h, with one p or two. In the Bible she was the wife of Moses.
  20. Zaylee

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name

    • Description:

      A contemporary spin on Hailey, Bailey, and Kailey, using the stylish letter Z and the double -ee ending, Zaylee ticks the boxes as trendy choice for a modern baby. It joined the US Top 1000 back in 2015 and at least 350 girls received the name in a recent year.

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