Zooey
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Zooey
Readers who remember J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey have probably forgotten that the character was male (nee Zachary). Nowadays the somewhat loopy spin on Zoe is associated with actress Zooey Deschanel.
Zooey for boys
The original Zooey, hero of J.D. Salinger's Franny & Zooey, was male, but nowadays the name is more closely associated with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel. With Zoe at number 31 for girls and Zoey in the Top 50, the related Zooey feels more female than ever. But it's distinctively quirky for either sex.
Pronounced ZOO-ee.
As of October 2026, Zooey ranked #13199 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #1250 in 2012.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,867 | 109 | 61 |
| 2015 | #2,350 | 79 | 44.3 |
| 2016 | #2,901 | 59 | 33.3 |
| 2017 | #3,142 | 52 | 30.1 |
| 2018 | #4,141 | 35 | 20.6 |
| 2019 | #4,436 | 32 | 19.1 |
| 2020 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | #4,959 | 27 | 16.5 |
| 2022 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | — | 0 | 0 |
Similar names
These 40 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Zooey.
Similar girl names
Similar boy names
Zooey on lists
Famous Zooeys
- Zooey Claire DeschanelGirl
American actress.
- (David) Zooey HallBoy
American actor
Zooey in pop culture
- Zooey RiceGirl
fiancée in film "I Love You, Man".
- Zooey RennerGirl
character in film "3 Days to Kill".
- ZooeyGirl
truck in "Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks".
- Zooey GlassBoy
character from J. D. Salinger's "Franny and Zooey" (pronounced Zewey, in contrast from Zoe)