boy's name · in the US
Zion
ZY-on (English)
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 60,648
the United States
#142
2025 births
Zion is a name of Hebrew origin naming the hill in Jerusalem, and by extension the city and the promised land itself. Its meaning is unresolved — "fortress" and "parched place" are both proposed, and neither is proven.
- Zion is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2023, when 3,020 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,280 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1917.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Zion Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 6 |
| 1920s | 0 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 57 |
| 1980s | 97 |
| 1990s | 1,891 |
| 2000s | 14,346 |
| 2010s | 21,002 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 16,498 |
What Zion Means
Zion has no settled meaning. The candidates are stronghold or citadel, and dry or parched place. The name is far older than Hebrew records of it, which is why its origin cannot be recovered.
Where Zion Comes From
Zion transliterates the Hebrew Tziyon, first recorded as the name of a Jebusite fortress captured by David, after which it named the hill, then Jerusalem, then the whole land of Israel. Its pre-Hebrew origin is lost, and the proposed meanings are educated guesses from similar roots. The word carries enormous weight beyond Judaism: it names the promised land in African American spirituals, it is central to Rastafari, and Zionism takes its name from it. Bob Marley's use of Zion in his lyrics is a major reason the word became a given name.
Zion in Use
Birth records record Zion for both sexes and shows it peaking in 2023 and still rising, at 135 in England and Wales. It first appears in birth records in 1917. Its use as a given name is largely a twentieth-century development from Rastafari and reggae rather than from Jewish or Christian naming tradition.
How Popular Is Zion?
In 2025, Zion was given to 2,590 babies in the United States, ranking #142 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Zion 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.
How Zion Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Zïon | Zïon is a rare spelling of Zion, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 10 times, mostly in France. | 10 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Zion
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Zion Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Zion over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Zion 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 Boys' 7% girls · 26,097 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 6% girls · 2,750 babies
- Canada Boys' 5% girls · 1,660 babies
- France Boys' 4% girls · 425 babies
- Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 106 babies
- Scotland Both 10% girls · 58 babies
How to Say Zion
- English ZY-on /ˈzaɪən/
1 nickname for Zion
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Zion in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Zion
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Zion — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Zion
What does the name Zion mean?
The meaning is unresolved. "Fortress" and "parched place" are both proposed, neither proven — the word predates Hebrew records of it.
What is Zion?
Originally a Jebusite fortress in Jerusalem, then the hill, then the city, then the promised land itself.
Why is Zion used in reggae?
It names the promised land in Rastafari and in African American spirituals. Bob Marley's lyrics carried it into wide use as a name.
How popular is the name Zion?
In 2025, Zion was given to 2,590 babies in the United States, ranking #142 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Zion a girl's or a boy's name?
Zion is used for both girls and boys. About 12% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Zion?
Zion has 2 syllables.
When was Zion most popular?
Zion peaked in 2023, when 3,020 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Zion?
Zion is usually shortened to Zi.
Is Zion a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Zion currently ranks #135 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.