unisex name · in the US
Zen
ZEN (English)
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 3,910
Ireland
#959
2025 births
Zen is a unisex name in the United States, with 1 syllable. It is given to both girls and boys — about 16% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 228 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Peaked in 2022, when 321 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 14,541 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1969.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Zen Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1960s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 11 |
| 1990s | 157 |
| 2000s | 564 |
| 2010s | 1,020 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,556 |
How Popular Is Zen?
In 2025, Zen was given to 228 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Zen Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Zen
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Zen Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Zen over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Zen is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 21% girls · 2,087 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 9% girls · 211 babies
- Canada Boys' 6% girls · 133 babies
How to Say Zen
- English ZEN
Sibling Names for Zen
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Zen — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Zen
How popular is the name Zen?
In 2025, Zen was given to 228 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Zen a girl's or a boy's name?
Zen is used for both girls and boys. About 16% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Zen?
Zen has 1 syllable.
When was Zen most popular?
Zen peaked in 2022, when 321 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Zen a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Zen currently ranks #959 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.