Zed
A diminutive of the male given name Zedekiah.
Every Zed since 1882 — 454 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Zed
Zed is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,700 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 454 American babies have been named Zed. Its peak came in 2018, when 18 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Zed stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Zed year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #9,700 |
| 2024 | 15 | #6,195 |
| 2023 | 11 | #7,731 |
| 2022 | 7 | #10,843 |
| 2021 | 17 | #5,560 |
| 2020 | 7 | #10,593 |
| 2019 | 8 | #9,740 |
| 2018 | 18 | #5,317 |
| 2017 | 15 | #6,055 |
| 2016 | 14 | #6,346 |
| 2015 | 8 | #9,558 |
| 2014 | 6 | #12,093 |
| 2013 | 9 | #8,772 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8,856 |
| 2011 | 6 | #12,271 |
| 2010 | 7 | #10,755 |
| 2009 | 7 | #10,973 |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | 5 | #14,376 |
| 2006 | 8 | #9,581 |
| 2005 | 6 | #11,459 |
| 2004 | 7 | #9,937 |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | 7 | #9,383 |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | 12 | #5,912 |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 7 | #7,175 |
| 1985 | 9 | #4,694 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,251 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 5 | #4,860 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,283 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Zed mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Zedekiah.
How popular is the name Zed in 2025?
Zed ranked #9,700 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Zed?
454 babies have been named Zed in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Zed most popular?
Zed peaked in 2018, when 18 newborns received the name.
Is Zed a boy or girl name?
Zed is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Zed rising or falling?
Zed is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.