Zilpah Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ZIL-pah /ˈzɪl.pə/
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: dropping; to fall
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Zilpah has its roots in Hebrew, originating from the biblical name זִלְפָּה (Zilpah), which is believed to mean "drooping" or "to be weak." This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis, where Zilpah is introduced as the maidservant of Leah, one of the wives of Jacob. The name's journey into English can be traced through the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and later through the Latin Vulgate, which influenced early English translations of the Bible, including the King James Version published in 1611.
Historically, Zilpah is significant as she is one of the matriarchs of the Israelite tribes, being the mother of two of Jacob's sons, Gad and Asher. This connection to the foundational narratives of the Israelite people has given the name a lasting presence in religious and cultural contexts.
The biblical account of Zilpah, along with her role in the family dynamics of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, highlights themes of rivalry and maternal influence, which have been subjects of interpretation in Jewish and Christian traditions. Culturally, Zilpah's name has resonated within various Jewish communities, often symbolizing the complexities of familial relationships and the roles of women in biblical narratives.
The name has been preserved through religious texts and has occasionally been referenced in literature and art that explore biblical themes. While diminutive forms or variations of Zilpah are not widely noted, the name itself carries a weight of historical and theological significance, ensuring its place in the annals of biblical names.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Zilpah, 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 Zilpah. 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 Zilpah was first seen in the United States in 1881.
Zilpah has ranked as high as #299 nationally, which occurred in 1881, and has been most popular in .
In the past 5 years the name Zilpah has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Zilpah 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 Zilpah was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Zilpah
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.
No state data available for this year.
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 Zilpah.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 1881 | 9 |