Fun Facts About the Name Zoe
- A newer favorite: Zoe first entered the U.S. top 100 in 2000 and stayed there through 2025 - a run of 26 consecutive years.
- More than 163 thousand babies named Zoe: U.S. records list 163,822 babies given the name Zoe from 1880 through 2025. Even 597 boys received the name Zoe - about 1 boy for every 273 girls.
What Does the Name Zoe Mean?
Zoe comes from the Greek noun ζωή (zōē), which means "life." It is not a compound name or a shortened form of another name; the personal name is the ordinary Greek word for life used as a given name. In Christian Greek writings, ζωή can refer to physical life or, in theological passages, to eternal life, but the name's basic meaning remains "life." The spelling Zoé reflects French, and Zoey is a modern English variant, but the underlying name is Greek.
Zoe Name History & Origins
Zoe is an ancient Greek personal name. Because it was a common noun as well as a name, it could be used by Greek speakers without reference to a myth or a literary character. The word ζωή appears frequently in the Septuagint and the New Testament, where it often means "life" or "eternal life"; the New Testament does not, however, use Zoe as a personal name. In late antiquity and the Byzantine period, Zoe was used as a personal name in Greek-speaking Christian communities, and several saints named Zoe are remembered in Eastern Orthodox and Western Christian calendars. The name also appears in the Byzantine imperial family: Zoe Porphyrogenita (c. 978 - 1050) ruled as empress in the eleventh century.
From Greek, the name passed into Latin as Zoe and into other European languages, including French Zoé, Italian Zoe, Spanish Zoe or Zoé, and Russian Zoya. In English, Zoe is a borrowing from Greek and these European forms rather than an inherited Old English name. The variant spelling Zoey is also established in English.
How Popular is the Name Zoe?
Zoe recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2012. Zoe entered the top 100 U.S. girl names in 2000.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #31 | 5,646 | 0.3513% |
| 2024 | #29 | 5,719 | 0.3545% |
| 2023 | #36 | 5,188 | 0.3237% |
| 2022 | #38 | 5,011 | 0.3058% |
| 2021 | #42 | 4,738 | 0.2890% |
| 2020 | #40 | 4,797 | 0.2969% |
| 2019 | #38 | 5,071 | 0.3023% |
| 2018 | #40 | 5,123 | 0.3013% |
| 2017 | #41 | 5,173 | 0.2997% |
| 2016 | #35 | 5,763 | 0.3253% |
| 2015 | #33 | 6,051 | 0.3391% |
| 2014 | #32 | 5,883 | 0.3294% |
| 2013 | #31 | 5,978 | 0.3407% |
| 2012 | #30 | 6,466 | 0.3672% |
| 2011 | #31 | 6,309 | 0.3587% |
| 2010 | #31 | 6,274 | 0.3530% |
| 2009 | #47 | 5,152 | 0.2805% |
| 2008 | #58 | 4,781 | 0.2529% |
| 2007 | #56 | 4,937 | 0.2568% |
| 2006 | #54 | 5,153 | 0.2711% |
| 2005 | #58 | 4,965 | 0.2687% |
| 2004 | #54 | 5,363 | 0.2921% |
| 2003 | #57 | 5,087 | 0.2784% |
| 2002 | #60 | 4,887 | 0.2720% |
| 2001 | #65 | 4,645 | 0.2580% |
| 2000 | #82 | 3,785 | 0.2084% |
| 1999 | #104 | 3,237 | 0.1825% |
| 1998 | #122 | 2,692 | 0.1524% |
| 1997 | #135 | 2,362 | 0.1357% |
| 1996 | #155 | 2,065 | 0.1178% |
| 1995 | #176 | 1,726 | 0.0982% |
| 1994 | #215 | 1,335 | 0.0748% |
| 1993 | #236 | 1,192 | 0.0659% |
| 1992 | #281 | 982 | 0.0533% |
| 1991 | #356 | 722 | 0.0385% |
| 1990 | #503 | 478 | 0.0252% |
| 1989 | #581 | 377 | 0.0204% |
| 1988 | #774 | 243 | 0.0136% |
| 1987 | #737 | 246 | 0.0141% |
| 1986 | #790 | 214 | 0.0125% |
| 1985 | #832 | 196 | 0.0114% |
| 1984 | #791 | 203 | 0.0121% |
| 1983 | #873 | 174 | 0.0104% |
| 1982 | #1,092 | 130 | 0.0077% |
| 1981 | #1,187 | 112 | 0.0067% |
| 1980 | #1,267 | 103 | 0.0062% |
| 1979 | #1,209 | 108 | 0.0067% |
| 1978 | #1,298 | 94 | 0.0061% |
| 1977 | #1,068 | 123 | 0.0080% |
| 1976 | #1,206 | 95 | 0.0065% |
| 1975 | #989 | 125 | 0.0086% |
| 1974 | #1,106 | 106 | 0.0072% |
| 1973 | #989 | 121 | 0.0083% |
| 1972 | #1,146 | 96 | 0.0063% |
| 1971 | #1,020 | 122 | 0.0073% |
| 1970 | #965 | 132 | 0.0076% |
| 1969 | #1,168 | 92 | 0.0055% |
| 1968 | #1,170 | 86 | 0.0052% |
| 1967 | #1,195 | 80 | 0.0048% |
| 1966 | #939 | 118 | 0.0070% |
| 1965 | #1,238 | 77 | 0.0044% |
| 1964 | #1,239 | 80 | 0.0042% |
| 1963 | #1,217 | 82 | 0.0043% |
| 1962 | #1,109 | 97 | 0.0049% |
| 1961 | #977 | 123 | 0.0061% |
| 1960 | #993 | 118 | 0.0058% |
| 1959 | #935 | 126 | 0.0062% |
| 1958 | #828 | 151 | 0.0075% |
| 1957 | #850 | 143 | 0.0070% |
| 1956 | #1,075 | 92 | 0.0046% |
| 1955 | #902 | 119 | 0.0061% |
| 1954 | #883 | 119 | 0.0061% |
| 1953 | #980 | 96 | 0.0051% |
| 1952 | #929 | 100 | 0.0054% |
| 1951 | #951 | 96 | 0.0053% |
| 1950 | #1,134 | 67 | 0.0039% |
| 1949 | #1,004 | 81 | 0.0047% |
| 1948 | #1,084 | 68 | 0.0040% |
| 1947 | #1,237 | 54 | 0.0030% |
| 1946 | #1,049 | 66 | 0.0042% |
| 1945 | #1,187 | 45 | 0.0034% |
| 1944 | #1,139 | 48 | 0.0036% |
| 1943 | #1,304 | 40 | 0.0029% |
| 1942 | #1,090 | 53 | 0.0039% |
| 1941 | #957 | 60 | 0.0050% |
| 1940 | #978 | 54 | 0.0047% |
| 1939 | #958 | 55 | 0.0050% |
| 1938 | #874 | 65 | 0.0059% |
| 1937 | #814 | 72 | 0.0068% |
| 1936 | #763 | 79 | 0.0076% |
| 1935 | #714 | 89 | 0.0085% |
| 1934 | #754 | 79 | 0.0076% |
| 1933 | #744 | 79 | 0.0078% |
| 1932 | #730 | 86 | 0.0081% |
| 1931 | #767 | 77 | 0.0072% |
| 1930 | #1,013 | 54 | 0.0048% |
| 1929 | #834 | 73 | 0.0065% |
| 1928 | #934 | 64 | 0.0055% |
| 1927 | #1,022 | 57 | 0.0048% |
| 1926 | #989 | 58 | 0.0049% |
| 1925 | #873 | 73 | 0.0060% |
| 1924 | #879 | 74 | 0.0059% |
| 1923 | #952 | 61 | 0.0051% |
| 1922 | #931 | 64 | 0.0053% |
| 1921 | #774 | 90 | 0.0073% |
| 1920 | #816 | 80 | 0.0067% |
| 1919 | #999 | 53 | 0.0047% |
| 1918 | #875 | 68 | 0.0059% |
| 1917 | #922 | 57 | 0.0053% |
| 1916 | #847 | 65 | 0.0062% |
| 1915 | #873 | 57 | 0.0058% |
| 1914 | #987 | 37 | 0.0049% |
| 1913 | #1,039 | 28 | 0.0045% |
| 1912 | #832 | 37 | 0.0066% |
| 1911 | #800 | 30 | 0.0072% |
| 1910 | #736 | 34 | 0.0086% |
| 1909 | #889 | 22 | 0.0063% |
| 1908 | #828 | 23 | 0.0069% |
| 1907 | #897 | 19 | 0.0060% |
| 1906 | #871 | 19 | 0.0064% |
| 1905 | #759 | 24 | 0.0082% |
| 1904 | #681 | 27 | 0.0098% |
| 1903 | #812 | 19 | 0.0073% |
| 1902 | #570 | 34 | 0.0129% |
| 1901 | #629 | 26 | 0.0109% |
| 1900 | #724 | 26 | 0.0087% |
| 1899 | #605 | 27 | 0.0116% |
| 1898 | #596 | 30 | 0.0116% |
| 1897 | #496 | 35 | 0.0149% |
| 1896 | #498 | 36 | 0.0151% |
| 1895 | #512 | 34 | 0.0146% |
| 1894 | #556 | 28 | 0.0126% |
| 1893 | #613 | 23 | 0.0108% |
| 1892 | #470 | 34 | 0.0160% |
| 1891 | #439 | 34 | 0.0183% |
| 1890 | #396 | 42 | 0.0221% |
| 1889 | #466 | 29 | 0.0163% |
| 1888 | #372 | 42 | 0.0235% |
| 1887 | #371 | 34 | 0.0233% |
| 1886 | #438 | 25 | 0.0173% |
| 1885 | #404 | 27 | 0.0203% |
| 1884 | #365 | 31 | 0.0240% |
| 1883 | #396 | 23 | 0.0205% |
| 1882 | #359 | 25 | 0.0232% |
| 1881 | #359 | 22 | 0.0239% |
| 1880 | #341 | 23 | 0.0253% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,802 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #4,304 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 2023 | #7,283 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #4,567 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #4,933 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2020 | #5,695 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #6,769 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #6,341 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #7,540 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #6,050 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #5,744 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2014 | #4,700 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2013 | #5,921 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #5,480 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #6,253 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #5,043 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2009 | #7,233 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #6,067 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #7,585 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #5,780 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 2005 | #5,031 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #3,635 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2003 | #5,268 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2002 | #4,916 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #4,889 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #6,836 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #5,031 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #6,311 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #4,667 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #7,969 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #3,431 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1994 | #6,968 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #4,019 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #3,919 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #4,229 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #5,820 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #5,163 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #8,491 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #7,827 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #4,591 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #7,293 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #6,857 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #5,100 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #4,230 | 7 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Zoe
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Zoe Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have aspiration and inspiration, hope and guidance. Since you are intuitive and perceptive and you understand human nature. You have the power to achieve. Diplomacy and discretion make you a good mediator. You are inspired, introspective, and have a good understanding of the human heart. You can have the ability to commercialize your artistic talents successfully. You are often a mystery to others and to yourself. You are always reaching for something higher, without exactly knowing what that "higher" is. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Zoe's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Zoe's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.