Zeb Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ZEB /zɛb/
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: 'God has heard'; English: diminutive of Zebulon
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Zeb is derived from the Hebrew name "Zev," which means "wolf." This etymology traces back to the ancient Semitic roots, where the word for wolf is associated with strength and ferocity. The name entered the English language through the transliteration of Hebrew texts, particularly during the periods of biblical translation into Greek and Latin, and later into Old French before becoming established in Middle English.
The biblical figure Zebulun, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, is often linked to the name, as Zebulun is associated with the tribe that bore his name, which is mentioned in the Book of Genesis, dating back to the 15th century BCE. Historically, the name Zeb has been used in various forms, including as a diminutive of Zebulon or Zebedee, both of which have biblical origins.
The name Zebulon appears in the Old Testament, where it is noted that the tribe of Zebulun was associated with maritime activities and trade, reflecting the cultural significance of the name in ancient Israelite society. The name Zebedee, on the other hand, is linked to a New Testament figure, the father of the apostles James and John, further embedding the name within the Christian tradition.
Culturally, the name Zeb has resonated through various literary and artistic expressions, often symbolizing loyalty and companionship, akin to the characteristics attributed to wolves in folklore and mythology. The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its strong historical roots and the positive associations with its meanings.
The simplicity and strength of the name have allowed it to maintain relevance across different cultures and eras, reflecting a timeless appeal.
Fictional characters named Zeb
The following list of fictional characters named Zeb 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.
Zeb Orrelios is a fictional character from the animated series Star Wars Rebels. He is a Lasat warrior and a key member of the Ghost crew, known for his strength and loyalty.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Zeb, 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 Zeb. 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 Zeb was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Zeb has ranked as high as #1061 nationally, which occurred in 1979, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Tennessee, California, Iowa, and Alabama.
In the past 5 years the name Zeb has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Zeb 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 Zeb was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Zeb (2022)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| NC | 6 |
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 Zeb.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2021 | 17 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2016 | 25 |
| 2015 | 16 |
| 2014 | 31 |
| 2013 | 27 |
| 2012 | 31 |
| 2011 | 32 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2009 | 27 |
| 2008 | 35 |
| 2007 | 25 |
| 2006 | 31 |
| 2005 | 33 |
| 2004 | 28 |
| 2003 | 35 |
| 2002 | 30 |
| 2001 | 35 |
| 2000 | 26 |
| 1999 | 26 |
| 1998 | 19 |
| 1997 | 22 |
| 1996 | 18 |
| 1995 | 28 |
| 1994 | 27 |
| 1993 | 24 |
| 1992 | 17 |
| 1991 | 34 |
| 1990 | 24 |
| 1989 | 17 |
| 1988 | 24 |
| 1987 | 18 |
| 1986 | 21 |
| 1985 | 13 |
| 1984 | 35 |
| 1983 | 34 |
| 1982 | 22 |
| 1981 | 35 |
| 1980 | 40 |
| 1979 | 65 |
| 1978 | 59 |
| 1977 | 26 |
| 1976 | 20 |
| 1975 | 12 |
| 1974 | 17 |
| 1973 | 14 |
| 1972 | 11 |
| 1971 | 9 |
| 1970 | 8 |
| 1969 | 6 |
| 1968 | 8 |
| 1967 | 10 |
| 1966 | 8 |
| 1965 | 11 |
| 1964 | 12 |
| 1963 | 6 |
| 1962 | 9 |
| 1961 | 9 |
| 1960 | 17 |
| 1959 | 12 |
| 1958 | 15 |
| 1957 | 21 |
| 1956 | 12 |
| 1955 | 15 |
| 1954 | 11 |
| 1953 | 11 |
| 1952 | 11 |
| 1951 | 16 |
| 1950 | 14 |
| 1949 | 16 |
| 1948 | 11 |
| 1947 | 14 |
| 1946 | 17 |
| 1945 | 17 |
| 1944 | 16 |
| 1943 | 14 |
| 1942 | 20 |
| 1941 | 11 |
| 1940 | 16 |
| 1939 | 12 |
| 1938 | 15 |
| 1937 | 17 |
| 1936 | 12 |
| 1935 | 20 |
| 1934 | 14 |
| 1933 | 30 |
| 1932 | 23 |
| 1931 | 23 |
| 1930 | 29 |
| 1929 | 28 |
| 1928 | 25 |
| 1927 | 26 |
| 1926 | 28 |
| 1925 | 35 |
| 1924 | 41 |
| 1923 | 31 |
| 1922 | 49 |
| 1921 | 36 |
| 1920 | 28 |
| 1919 | 30 |
| 1918 | 42 |
| 1917 | 23 |
| 1916 | 24 |
| 1915 | 26 |
| 1914 | 31 |
| 1913 | 18 |
| 1912 | 17 |
| 1911 | 10 |
| 1910 | 7 |
| 1909 | 12 |
| 1908 | 6 |
| 1907 | 5 |
| 1906 | 6 |
| 1905 | 8 |
| 1904 | 11 |
| 1903 | 12 |
| 1902 | 8 |
| 1901 | 5 |
| 1900 | 8 |
| 1899 | 8 |
| 1898 | 7 |
| 1896 | 13 |
| 1895 | 11 |
| 1894 | 6 |
| 1893 | 6 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1891 | 8 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1889 | 8 |
| 1888 | 16 |
| 1887 | 8 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1883 | 13 |
| 1882 | 10 |
| 1881 | 10 |
| 1880 | 10 |