girl's name
Zoey
ZOH-ee
- Origin Greek
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 127,864
the United States
#69
2025 births
Zoey is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "life," a phonetic English respelling of Zoe. It carries exactly the same meaning as the original, taken from the Greek word zoe, and the spelling change is a modern American convention.
- Zoey is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 2012, when 7,491 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 966 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1967.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Zoey over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1960s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 |
| 1970s | 76 |
| 1980s | 90 |
| 1990s | 2,595 |
| 2000s | 21,502 |
| 2010s | 65,060 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 26,233 |
What Zoey means
Zoey means life, identical to Zoe since it is the same name respelled. Greek-speaking Christians used Zoe to render the Hebrew name Eve, which also means life, making the two names equivalents in different languages.
Where Zoey comes from
Zoey is Zoe with an English phonetic ending, part of the same modern American impulse that produced Chloey, Sofie and Kaylee — respelling a name so its pronunciation is unambiguous to an English reader. The underlying name comes straight from the Greek zoe, meaning life, the word behind zoology and protozoa. Early Christians in Alexandria used Zoe when translating the Hebrew Chavah, or Eve, whose name carries the same meaning, and several early martyrs bore it. United States birth records show Zoey rising sharply from the 1990s, running alongside rather than replacing the classical Zoe.
How popular is Zoey?
In 2025, Zoey was given to 3,433 babies in the United States, ranking #69 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Zoey 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 Zoey
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Zoey also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Zoey over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Zoey
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.
Zoey 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 Zoey
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Zoey — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Zoey
What does the name Zoey mean?
Zoey means "life," from the Greek zoe — the same meaning as Zoe.
What is the difference between Zoey and Zoe?
Only spelling. Zoey is a modern phonetic respelling of the Greek Zoe.
Is Zoey related to Eve?
Yes, indirectly — Greek-speaking Christians used Zoe to translate the Hebrew Eve, since both mean life.
How popular is the name Zoey?
In 2025, Zoey was given to 3,433 babies in the United States, ranking #69 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Zoey a girl's or a boy's name?
Zoey is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Zoey?
Zoey has 2 syllables.
When was Zoey most popular?
Zoey peaked in 2012, when 7,491 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Zoey?
Zoey is usually shortened to Zo.
Is Zoey a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Zoey currently ranks #65 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.