Zoe Girl

Popularity: #30 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ZOH-ee /ˈzoʊ.i/

Origin: Greek; Hebrew

Meaning: Greek: life; Hebrew: to bloom

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Zoe has its roots in ancient Greek, derived from the word 'zōē' (ζωή), which means 'life.' This term was used in various contexts within Greek literature and philosophy, often symbolizing vitality and existence. The name entered the Latin lexicon as 'Zoe,' maintaining its original meaning, and subsequently made its way into other languages, including Old French and eventually English.

The transition into English occurred during the Renaissance, a period marked by a revival of interest in classical languages and cultures, which facilitated the adoption of many Greek names into the English-speaking world. Historically, the name Zoe has been associated with early Christian traditions.

It appears in the writings of the Church Fathers and is linked to several saints, notably Saint Zoe of Rome, who is commemorated in the Christian calendar. The name gained further prominence through its use in the Byzantine Empire, where it was borne by several empresses, including Zoe Porphyrogenita in the 11th century.

Her reign and the political significance of her name contributed to its enduring legacy within Christian and Byzantine contexts. Culturally, Zoe has often been associated with themes of life and rebirth, resonating with the Christian concept of eternal life.

This symbolic significance has allowed the name to maintain a presence in various cultures over the centuries. In addition to its primary form, diminutive variations such as Zoë have also emerged, particularly in literary and artistic contexts, enhancing its appeal and versatility.

Overall, Zoe's etymological roots, historical milestones, and cultural resonance underscore its lasting importance across different eras and societies.

Famous people named Zoe

In this section, you will find notable people named Zoe. 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 Zoe who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Zoe 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.

Zoe Saldana is an actress best known for Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Trek.

Zoe Kazan is an actress and screenwriter best known for Ruby Sparks, The Big Sick, and Our Idiot Brother.

Zoe Lister-Jones is an actress and filmmaker best known for New Girl, Life in Pieces, and Band Aid.

Zoe Bell is an actress and stunt performer best known for Kill Bill, Death Proof, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Zoe Wanamaker is an actress best known for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, My Family, and The Old Vic.

Zoe Tamerlis Lund is an actress and screenwriter best known for Ms. 45 and Bad Lieutenant.

Fictional characters named Zoe

The following list of fictional characters named Zoe 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.

Zoe Hange is a fictional character from the manga and anime series Attack on Titan. She is a key member of the Survey Corps known for her intelligence and leadership skills in the fight against Titans.

Zoe is a fictional character from the video game series Left 4 Dead. She is one of the four survivors in the game, known for her resourcefulness and bravery during the zombie apocalypse.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Zoe, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

ChloeMayaLilaEllaSophieClara

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Zoe. 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.

ZaraZinaZadieZellaZinaida

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Zoe was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Zoe has ranked as high as #97 nationally, which occurred in 2012, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Zoe has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Zoe 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 Zoe was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Zoe.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 5,659 13 5,646
2024 5,758 25 5,733
2023 5,202 12 5,190
2022 5,045 23 5,022
2021 4,759 20 4,739
2020 4,815 16 4,799
2019 5,084 13 5,071
2018 5,138 14 5,124
2017 5,184 11 5,173
2016 5,779 15 5,764
2015 6,067 16 6,051
2014 5,905 21 5,884
2013 5,993 15 5,978
2012 6,483 17 6,466
2011 6,323 14 6,309
2010 6,293 19 6,274
2009 5,164 12 5,152
2008 4,796 15 4,781
2007 4,948 11 4,937
2006 5,168 15 5,153
2005 4,982 17 4,965
2004 5,389 26 5,363
2003 5,102 15 5,087
2002 4,903 16 4,887
2001 4,661 16 4,645
2000 3,795 10 3,785
1999 3,251 14 3,237
1998 2,702 10 2,692
1997 2,376 14 2,362
1996 2,072 7 2,065
1995 1,746 20 1,726
1994 1,343 8 1,335
1993 1,208 16 1,192
1992 998 16 982
1991 736 14 722
1990 487 9 478
1989 387 10 377
1988 248 5 243
1987 246 0 246
1986 219 5 214
1985 196 0 196
1984 203 0 203
1983 175 0 175
1982 139 9 130
1981 112 0 112
1980 108 5 103
1979 108 0 108
1978 94 0 94
1977 127 5 122
1976 95 0 95
1975 125 0 125
1974 106 0 106
1973 127 6 121
1972 95 0 95
1971 122 0 122
1970 139 7 132
1969 92 0 92
1968 86 0 86
1967 80 0 80
1966 118 0 118
1965 76 0 76
1964 80 0 80
1963 82 0 82
1962 97 0 97
1961 123 0 123
1960 118 0 118
1959 126 0 126
1958 151 0 151
1957 143 0 143
1956 93 0 93
1955 118 0 118
1954 119 0 119
1953 96 0 96
1952 100 0 100
1951 96 0 96
1950 67 0 67
1949 81 0 81
1948 68 0 68
1947 54 0 54
1946 66 0 66
1945 45 0 45
1944 48 0 48
1943 40 0 40
1942 53 0 53
1941 60 0 60
1940 54 0 54
1939 55 0 55
1938 65 0 65
1937 72 0 72
1936 79 0 79
1935 89 0 89
1934 79 0 79
1933 79 0 79
1932 86 0 86
1931 77 0 77
1930 54 0 54
1929 73 0 73
1928 64 0 64
1927 57 0 57
1926 58 0 58
1925 73 0 73
1924 74 0 74
1923 61 0 61
1922 64 0 64
1921 90 0 90
1920 80 0 80
1919 53 0 53
1918 68 0 68
1917 57 0 57
1916 65 0 65
1915 57 0 57
1914 37 0 37
1913 28 0 28
1912 37 0 37
1911 30 0 30
1910 34 0 34
1909 22 0 22
1908 23 0 23
1907 19 0 19
1906 19 0 19
1905 24 0 24
1904 27 0 27
1903 19 0 19
1902 34 0 34
1901 26 0 26
1900 26 0 26
1899 27 0 27
1898 30 0 30
1897 35 0 35
1896 36 0 36
1895 34 0 34
1894 28 0 28
1893 23 0 23
1892 34 0 34
1891 34 0 34
1890 42 0 42
1889 29 0 29
1888 42 0 42
1887 34 0 34
1886 25 0 25
1885 27 0 27
1884 31 0 31
1883 23 0 23
1882 25 0 25
1881 22 0 22
1880 23 0 23

Top States for Zoe (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 774
14%
TX 734
13%
NY 495
9%
FL 408
7%
NJ 260
5%
NC 211
4%
GA 195
3%
VA 188
3%
MD 178
3%
MA 178
3%
IL 176
3%
PA 156
3%
TN 130
2%
CO 124
2%
WA 116
2%
OH 101
2%
IN 96
2%
AZ 91
2%
SC 84
1%
MI 84
1%
CT 72
1%
LA 70
1%
UT 67
1%
WI 62
1%
MN 59
1%
OR 59
1%
MO 53
1%
AL 48
1%
KY 47
1%
DC 39
1%
OK 39
1%
NV 34
1%
KS 32
1%
IA 26
0%
NE 26
0%
AR 25
0%
ME 23
0%
ID 22
0%
NM 21
0%
RI 19
0%
MS 19
0%
NH 16
0%
DE 14
0%
ND 10
0%
MT 9
0%
WV 7
0%
SD 6
0%
WY 5
0%