Zachary Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ZAK-uh-ree //ˈzæk.ə.ri//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: 'the Lord has remembered'; English: diminutive form of Zacharias
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Zachary is derived from the Hebrew name Zechariah, which means "Yahweh has remembered." This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, where Zechariah is a significant figure, notably one of the minor prophets. The name transitioned into Greek as Zacharias and subsequently into Latin as Zacharias.
The Old French form, Zacharie, eventually made its way into Middle English, where it was adapted to Zachary. This linguistic journey reflects the name's deep roots in religious texts and its enduring significance across cultures and languages.
Historically, the name Zachary has been borne by various notable figures, including several biblical characters. One of the most prominent is Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, whose story is recounted in the New Testament.
The name gained further prominence through the influence of the King James Bible, published in 1611, which helped solidify its use in English-speaking communities. Additionally, Saint Zachary, a pope in the 8th century, contributed to the name's historical resonance within Christian traditions.
Culturally, Zachary has been associated with themes of remembrance and divine favor, reflecting its etymological roots. The name has been embraced in various artistic and literary works, often symbolizing hope and renewal.
Its diminutive form, Zach, has also been used historically, providing a familiar and affectionate variant that has appeared in various contexts. Overall, the name Zachary carries a rich historical and cultural significance, rooted in its biblical origins and the enduring themes of memory and divine attention.
Famous people named Zachary
In this section, you will find notable people named Zachary. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Zachary who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Zachary who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Zachary Levi is an actor best known for Shazam!, Chuck, and Tangled.
Zachary Quinto is an actor best known for Star Trek, Heroes, and Margin Call.
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States, known for his role in the Mexican-American War and his brief presidency.
Zachary Knighton is an actor best known for Happy Endings, The Last Resort, and Magnum P.I.
Fictional characters named Zachary
The following list of fictional characters named Zachary is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Zachary Smith is a fictional character from the TV series Lost in Space. He is the scheming and self-serving antagonist who often complicates the Robinson family's efforts to survive on an alien planet.
Zachary Hale Comstock is a fictional character from the video game BioShock Infinite. He is the primary antagonist and a key figure in the game's exploration of themes like nationalism and racism.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Zachary, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Zachary. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Zachary was first seen in the United States in 1900.
Zachary has ranked as high as #17 nationally, which occurred in 1993, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
In the past 5 years the name Zachary has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Zachary is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Zachary was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Zachary (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 257 | |
| TX | 155 | |
| NY | 139 | |
| FL | 105 | |
| PA | 103 | |
| IL | 85 | |
| MI | 64 | |
| VA | 61 | |
| OH | 52 | |
| MA | 50 | |
| GA | 49 | |
| NC | 40 | |
| WA | 39 | |
| IN | 37 | |
| MN | 37 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Zachary.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,835 |
| 2023 | 2,122 |
| 2022 | 2,261 |
| 2021 | 2,596 |
| 2020 | 2,726 |
| 2019 | 3,083 |
| 2018 | 3,575 |
| 2017 | 3,821 |
| 2016 | 4,576 |
| 2015 | 4,865 |
| 2014 | 5,187 |
| 2013 | 5,774 |
| 2012 | 6,263 |
| 2011 | 6,810 |
| 2010 | 7,184 |
| 2009 | 8,091 |
| 2008 | 9,235 |
| 2007 | 10,217 |
| 2006 | 11,013 |
| 2005 | 12,288 |
| 2004 | 13,712 |
| 2003 | 15,540 |
| 2002 | 16,622 |
| 2001 | 18,185 |
| 2000 | 19,852 |
| 1999 | 19,982 |
| 1998 | 20,580 |
| 1997 | 21,928 |
| 1996 | 22,368 |
| 1995 | 23,129 |
| 1994 | 25,137 |
| 1993 | 25,537 |
| 1992 | 24,800 |
| 1991 | 21,387 |
| 1990 | 20,432 |
| 1989 | 18,078 |
| 1988 | 15,871 |
| 1987 | 13,203 |
| 1986 | 11,727 |
| 1985 | 11,346 |
| 1984 | 9,065 |
| 1983 | 7,309 |
| 1982 | 6,140 |
| 1981 | 4,846 |
| 1980 | 4,245 |
| 1979 | 4,156 |
| 1978 | 3,129 |
| 1977 | 2,777 |
| 1976 | 2,646 |
| 1975 | 1,688 |
| 1974 | 1,275 |
| 1973 | 1,136 |
| 1972 | 1,001 |
| 1971 | 701 |
| 1970 | 559 |
| 1969 | 419 |
| 1968 | 340 |
| 1967 | 364 |
| 1966 | 330 |
| 1965 | 313 |
| 1964 | 333 |
| 1963 | 327 |
| 1962 | 339 |
| 1961 | 369 |
| 1960 | 345 |
| 1959 | 262 |
| 1958 | 237 |
| 1957 | 289 |
| 1956 | 270 |
| 1955 | 280 |
| 1954 | 200 |
| 1953 | 161 |
| 1952 | 171 |
| 1951 | 151 |
| 1950 | 149 |
| 1949 | 107 |
| 1948 | 91 |
| 1947 | 70 |
| 1946 | 49 |
| 1945 | 19 |
| 1944 | 10 |
| 1943 | 14 |
| 1942 | 15 |
| 1941 | 9 |
| 1940 | 20 |
| 1939 | 15 |
| 1938 | 15 |
| 1937 | 18 |
| 1936 | 9 |
| 1935 | 13 |
| 1934 | 11 |
| 1933 | 14 |
| 1932 | 17 |
| 1931 | 14 |
| 1930 | 16 |
| 1929 | 19 |
| 1928 | 14 |
| 1927 | 13 |
| 1926 | 22 |
| 1925 | 21 |
| 1924 | 13 |
| 1923 | 20 |
| 1922 | 11 |
| 1921 | 19 |
| 1920 | 16 |
| 1919 | 20 |
| 1918 | 11 |
| 1917 | 10 |
| 1916 | 17 |
| 1915 | 14 |
| 1914 | 11 |
| 1913 | 18 |
| 1912 | 8 |
| 1900 | 6 |