Girls Names Beginning With Z

Zoe

Greek

"life"

Zoe is one of those surprising names that has been on the Top 1000 nearly every year since 1880, but it's only since the turn of this century that it's ranked in the Top 100. Despite its popularity…

Zara

Hebrew and Arabic

"blooming flower; God remembers"

Zara has multiple origins, but most notably is a variation of Zahrah, a name derived from the Arabic zahrah , meaning "blooming flower." Zara can also be a diminutive of the Bulgarian name Zaharina,…

Zainab

Variation of Zaynab

Zainab—the name of a flowering tree and of a granddaughter, daughter, and two wives of the Prophet Muhammed—was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2013. While simplified variations Zaina or Zayna are…

Zelda

Diminutive of Griselda

"gray fighting maid"

Classified as an early beauty, Zelda has long and often been used as such for characters in books and films. Since 1986, Zelda has been a prime Nintendo name, as in the Legend of Zelda: Twilight…

Zora

Serbo-Croatian

"dawn"

Zora is a meaningful literary heroine name honoring Zora Neale Hurston, an important black writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Spelled Zorah, it is a biblical place name, and is also the…

Zendaya

Shona

"to give thanks"

Zendaya has propelled her unusual African name into the spotlight and up the popularity charts. Zendaya is one of the major baby name influencers of our era. What does Zendaya's name mean? The name…

Zinnia

Flower name, from German surname

"Zinn's flower"

Zinnia is an unusual floral choice with a bit more edge and energy than most and beginning to find its way onto namers' wish lists of botanical possibilities. Named after the 18th-century German…

Zelie

French

"noble"

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…

Zofia

Czech, Polish, and Ukrainian variation of Sophia

"wisdom"

An international variation of Sophia that ranks in the Top 10 in Poland and the Top 1000 in England and Wales. Zosia is a charming diminutive.

Zipporah

Variation of Tziporah, Hebrew

"bird"

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.

Zena

Variation of Xenia, Greek

"guest, hospitality"

Familiar through the similarly pronounced TV Warrior Princess, Xena, this name ultimately derives from the Greek Xenia, meaning "guest, foreigner, hospitality". Familiar in the early 19th century in…

Zoha

Arabic

"morning"

A short and punchy Arabic name referring to the time between sunrise and noon. Also spelled Zuha.

Zemira

Feminine form of Zimri, Zamir, or Samir, Hebrew, Arabic, Albanian

"song, music; heart, mind, conscience; companion for the evening talk; good voice"

A multicultural choice with a zippy yet elegant sound, Zemira may be interpreted as a variation of the Hebrew Zimri or the Arabic Zamir and Samir. From its Hebrew roots, Zemira may have the…

Zen

Japanese, form of Buddhism

Parents searching for a simple, peaceful name may be attracted to this one.

Zenaida

Greek

"the life of Zeus; dedicated to Zeus"

A powerful name with an intriguing air of antiquity, Zenaida has the freshness of Zephyr and Azalea too. Meaning "life of Zeus" or "dedicated to Zeus", it was notably borne by the first-century…

Zosia

Variant of Sophia, Greek

"wisdom"

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 .

Zelia

Hebrew

"zealous, ardent"

An appealing name almost unknown in our culture but with roots in several others; worldlier than cousins Celia and Delia.

Zala

Ethiopian or Slovene variation of Rozalija

"a people from southwest Ethiopia; rose"

Simple but sultry.

Zoelle

English

"life + girl"

Zoelle is a modern-sounding name combining the stylish Zoe, which means life, with the trendy Elle, French for "she". Could make for a zippier spin on sweet Noelle.

Zephyr

Greek

"west wind"

Zephyrus was the Greek god of the west wind, and all names associated with him have a pleasantly gentle, breezy feel. With its cool Z initial and similarity in sound to Stephie and Serafina, Zephyr…