girl's name
Zoe
ZOH-ee
- Origin Greek
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 297,074
the United States
#31
2025 births
Zoe is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "life," taken directly from the Greek word zoe. Early Greek-speaking Christians used it to translate the Hebrew name Eve, which carries the same meaning, making the two names equivalents in different languages.
- Zoe is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 2012, when 6,483 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 586 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Zoe over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 281 |
| 1890s | 323 |
| 1900s | 239 |
| 1910s | 466 |
| 1920s | 694 |
| 1930s | 735 |
| 1940s | 569 |
| 1950s | 1,109 |
| 1960s | 952 |
| 1970s | 1,138 |
| 1980s | 2,033 |
| 1990s | 16,919 |
| 2000s | 48,908 |
| 2010s | 58,249 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 31,238 |
What Zoe means
Zoe means life, and like Sophia it is the ordinary Greek noun rather than a name derived from one. Its use as a Christian name rests on that meaning: it renders Eve, the biblical first woman, whose Hebrew name Chavah also means life.
Where Zoe comes from
Zoe comes straight from the Greek zoe, meaning life — the same root behind zoology and protozoa. Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians in Alexandria used Zoe when translating the Hebrew name Chavah, or Eve, into Greek, since both words mean life, and this equivalence is why Zoe entered Christian naming tradition. Several early martyrs bore the name, and it remained in continuous use in the Greek-speaking world, including among Byzantine empresses. English speakers adopted it in the nineteenth century as classical names came back into fashion, and it has been widely used since.
Zoe in use
Zoe and Eve are the same name in two languages, both meaning life.
How popular is Zoe?
In 2025, Zoe was given to 5,659 babies in the United States, ranking #31 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Zoe 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 Zoe is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Zoé | Zoé is Zoe written with an acute accent in France, and the spelling parents there overwhelmingly choose: it ranks #30 in France, against #1,624 for Zoe. | 69,414 |
| Zoë | Zoë is Zoe written with a diaeresis, used in France, where it ranks #985. | 808 |
| Zoè | Zoè is a rare spelling of Zoe, written with a grave accent and recorded about 10 times, mostly in France. | 10 |
Names that peaked alongside Zoe
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Zoe also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Zoe over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Zoe
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.
Zoe 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 Zoe
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Zoe — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Zoe
What does the name Zoe mean?
Zoe means "life," directly from the Greek word.
Is Zoe related to Eve?
Yes. Greek-speaking Christians used Zoe to translate the Hebrew Eve, since both names mean life.
What is the difference between Zoe and Zoey?
Only spelling — Zoey is a phonetic English respelling of the Greek Zoe.
How popular is the name Zoe?
In 2025, Zoe was given to 5,659 babies in the United States, ranking #31 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Zoe a girl's or a boy's name?
Zoe is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Zoe?
Zoe has 2 syllables.
When was Zoe most popular?
Zoe peaked in 2012, when 6,483 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Zoe?
Zoe is usually shortened to Zo.
Is Zoe a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Zoe currently ranks #21 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.