Zebedee Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ZEB-uh-dee /ˈzɛbədi/
Origin: Hebrew; Greek
Meaning: Hebrew: 'gift of God'; Greek: 'son of Zebedee'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Zebedee is derived from the Hebrew name "Zebedai," which means "gift of God." This name appears in the biblical context, specifically in the New Testament, where Zebedee is identified as the father of the apostles James and John. The Hebrew form transitioned into Greek as "Zebedaios" and later into Latin as "Zebedaeus," before being adopted into Old French and subsequently into Middle English as "Zebedee." This linguistic evolution reflects the broader historical and cultural exchanges that occurred through the spread of Christianity and the translation of biblical texts.
Zebedee's significance is notably anchored in the Christian tradition, particularly through the accounts of the apostles in the Gospels. The figure of Zebedee is mentioned in the context of Jesus calling his sons to discipleship, which is a pivotal moment in the New Testament narrative.
The name's biblical roots have contributed to its enduring presence in Christian communities, particularly during the Middle Ages when biblical names gained prominence due to their religious connotations. Culturally, the name Zebedee carries associations of faith and divine favor, resonating with the idea of being a gift from God.
This connection to divine providence has allowed the name to maintain its relevance across generations. Additionally, the diminutive form "Zeb" has been used in various contexts, although it is less historically significant than the full name.
Overall, Zebedee's etymology, historical milestones, and cultural resonance underscore its importance within the biblical narrative and its lasting impact on Christian heritage.
Fictional characters named Zebedee
The following list of fictional characters named Zebedee 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.
Zebedee is a fictional character from the children's television series The Magic Roundabout. He is a magical, spring-like character known for his whimsical personality and ability to bounce around.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Zebedee, 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 Zebedee. 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 Zebedee was first seen in the United States in 1907.
Zebedee has ranked as high as #1323 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina.
In the past 5 years the name Zebedee has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Zebedee 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 Zebedee was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Zebedee (1957)
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 | 5 |
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 Zebedee.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 37 |
| 2023 | 34 |
| 2022 | 21 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2014 | 8 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2007 | 10 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2004 | 11 |
| 2002 | 10 |
| 2001 | 11 |
| 2000 | 15 |
| 1999 | 10 |
| 1998 | 7 |
| 1997 | 13 |
| 1996 | 9 |
| 1995 | 8 |
| 1994 | 13 |
| 1993 | 12 |
| 1992 | 5 |
| 1991 | 5 |
| 1990 | 9 |
| 1989 | 16 |
| 1988 | 5 |
| 1987 | 10 |
| 1986 | 10 |
| 1985 | 10 |
| 1984 | 5 |
| 1983 | 8 |
| 1982 | 14 |
| 1981 | 10 |
| 1980 | 9 |
| 1979 | 9 |
| 1978 | 7 |
| 1977 | 11 |
| 1976 | 7 |
| 1975 | 10 |
| 1974 | 6 |
| 1973 | 8 |
| 1972 | 10 |
| 1971 | 10 |
| 1969 | 9 |
| 1968 | 8 |
| 1967 | 5 |
| 1966 | 13 |
| 1965 | 6 |
| 1964 | 10 |
| 1963 | 11 |
| 1962 | 9 |
| 1961 | 17 |
| 1960 | 15 |
| 1959 | 23 |
| 1958 | 13 |
| 1957 | 22 |
| 1956 | 14 |
| 1955 | 19 |
| 1954 | 19 |
| 1953 | 16 |
| 1952 | 11 |
| 1951 | 15 |
| 1950 | 21 |
| 1949 | 10 |
| 1948 | 15 |
| 1947 | 14 |
| 1946 | 9 |
| 1945 | 6 |
| 1944 | 6 |
| 1943 | 9 |
| 1942 | 8 |
| 1941 | 10 |
| 1940 | 7 |
| 1939 | 11 |
| 1938 | 8 |
| 1937 | 12 |
| 1936 | 8 |
| 1935 | 12 |
| 1934 | 20 |
| 1933 | 8 |
| 1932 | 13 |
| 1931 | 7 |
| 1930 | 9 |
| 1929 | 9 |
| 1928 | 17 |
| 1927 | 8 |
| 1926 | 8 |
| 1925 | 10 |
| 1924 | 17 |
| 1923 | 20 |
| 1922 | 11 |
| 1921 | 14 |
| 1920 | 13 |
| 1919 | 18 |
| 1918 | 12 |
| 1917 | 12 |
| 1916 | 8 |
| 1915 | 6 |
| 1914 | 10 |
| 1913 | 8 |
| 1912 | 11 |
| 1907 | 7 |