Additional information: The origin of the name Zoe comes mainly from the similar Greek word for life 'zoe' (written 'zeta-omega-eta'). It is usually listed as meaning 'life', but it can also mean 'a (means of) living', 'subsistence', 'goods' or 'property'. It was not used as a given name often until around the 11th century with the martyr of two saints by a translated form of this name. In the Hebrew Zoe came from the name Eve, a name that has the same root when taken from the original Greek meaning of life. It is sometimes written with an umlaut over the 'e' ('Zoe') to emphasize the second syllable.
Alternate spellings of Zoe are commonly used in different parts of the world. The spellings Zoey, Zooey, and Zowie are used, with Zoey being just as common as the original name Zoe. In Ukraine, the name Zoe is usually written as Zoya while the name is written as Zoja in Poland. Sometimes the name can be misspelled as Zoie or Zooe. Many people use the nickname Zo, although the long form of the name is most common as the nickname is not much shorter than the actual name.
Zoe has been a very popular name with increasing usage in both English and non English speaking countries. In 2014, it was ranked within the top 20 most popular female baby names in Australia, France, Hungary, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, with the Netherlands ranking it highest at 7th most popular. In the US Zoe was ranked the 32nd most popular female baby name in 2014, and in Canada the name was ranked at number 28. One of the few countries showing a decline in usage of the name is the UK, where the name peaked at 31st most popular in 1997. It went down to 99th most popular in 2014.
Celebrities and famous personalities that share the name Zoe (or Zoey) include Zooey Deschanel, an actress; Zoe the Byzantine empress (1050); Zoe Bell, a stunt-woman and actress; Zoe Birkett, a singer; and Zoe Caldwell, an actress. Zoe was the name of several Byzantine empresses. It was later used as the name of one of the Muppets on the children's TV programme Sesame Street.
The first thing you should know if you are considering Zoe for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Zoe is a girl name.
The name Zoe is of Greek origin, and is used in more than one countries and different languages of the world, especially English speaking countries, Greek speaking countries among others.
If you consider naming your baby Zoe we recommend you take note of the special meaning and history of the name as your baby’s name will play a big role in its life and your baby will hear it spoken every day. Searching for a name is a very important and fun process as it’s the very first gift you will give to your baby. Many people believe that the name can affect success in life, through their children's working career and other circumstances, so they choose more “respectable” names or name meanings as they believe that the name meaning reflects the personality of the child.
Zoe Name Meaning
The meaning of Zoe is “Life”. Keep in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages, so be careful that the name that you choose doesn’t mean something bad or unpleasant. Search comprehensively and find the name meaning of Zoe and its name origin or of any other name in our database. Also note the spelling and the pronunciation of the name Zoe and check the initials of the name with your last name to discover how it looks and sounds. The history and meaning of the name Zoe is fascinating, learn more about it. (If you know more meanings of the name and you would like to contribute click here to submit another name meaning).
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Name Zoe Categories
The name Zoe is in the following categories: American Names, British Names, English Names, Greek Names, Saints Names. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an influential factor when choosing a name. Instead, we recommend that you pay a greater attention to the origin and meaning of the name Zoe. Read our baby name articles for useful tips regarding baby names and naming your baby. If you are thinking of giving your baby the beautiful name Zoe, spread the love and share this with your friends.
Popularity of the Name Zoe
Below you will find the popularity of the baby name Zoe displayed annually, from 1880 to the present day in our name popularity chart. Hover over or click on the dots that represent a year to see how many babies were given the name for that year, for both genders, if available.
Zoe Boy Name Popularity Chart
Zoe Girl Name Popularity Chart
Note:The data above is from the Social Security Administrator of United States, (more info here) from Social Security card applications for births in US for every name, from 1880 up to the present year. The gender associated with the name might be incorrect, as the data presents the record applications without being edited for errors. The name's popularity and ranking is announced annually, so the data for this year will not be available until next year. The more babies that are given a name, the higher popularity ranking the name receives. For names with the same popularity, the tie is solved by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. This means that if two or more names have the same popularity their rankings may differ significantly, as they are set in alphabetical order. If a name has less than five occurrences, the SSA excludes it from the provided data to protect privacy.
If you’re not sure yet, see our wide selection of both boy names and girl names all over the world to find the ideal name for your new born baby. We offer a comprehensive and meaningful list of popular names and cool names along with the name's origin, meaning, pronunciation, popularity and additional information.
Do your research and choose a name wisely, kindly and selflessly.
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