Zia
Borrowed from Arabic ضِيَاء (ḍiyāʔ, “light”) via Spanish.
Every Zia since 1976 — 3,550 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Zia
Zia is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,477 in 2025 with 146 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1976, 3,550 American babies have been named Zia — about 91% girls and 9% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2024, when 213 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Zia stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Zia year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 146 | #1,477 | 11 | #7,673 |
| 2024 | 200 | #1,192 | 13 | #6,829 |
| 2023 | 183 | #1,263 | 11 | #7,734 |
| 2022 | 181 | #1,308 | 22 | #4,700 |
| 2021 | 152 | #1,425 | 11 | #7,582 |
| 2020 | 161 | #1,360 | 10 | #8,061 |
| 2019 | 192 | #1,228 | 18 | #5,339 |
| 2018 | 142 | #1,539 | 14 | #6,341 |
| 2017 | 119 | #1,769 | 11 | #7,541 |
| 2016 | 143 | #1,566 | 9 | #8,806 |
| 2015 | 130 | #1,653 | 14 | #6,321 |
| 2014 | 122 | #1,727 | 13 | #6,629 |
| 2013 | 135 | #1,598 | 16 | #5,657 |
| 2012 | 129 | #1,662 | 16 | #5,718 |
| 2011 | 109 | #1,856 | 16 | #5,673 |
| 2010 | 82 | #2,340 | 13 | #6,695 |
| 2009 | 95 | #2,138 | 8 | #9,858 |
| 2008 | 71 | #2,628 | 15 | #6,066 |
| 2007 | 99 | #2,070 | 9 | #8,909 |
| 2006 | 79 | #2,394 | — | — |
| 2005 | 51 | #3,125 | 6 | #11,460 |
| 2004 | 59 | #2,780 | 5 | #13,218 |
| 2003 | 54 | #2,884 | 7 | #9,576 |
| 2002 | 37 | #3,653 | 7 | #9,386 |
| 2001 | 49 | #2,962 | 5 | #12,296 |
| 2000 | 52 | #2,816 | 7 | #9,106 |
| 1995 | 20 | #5,018 | — | — |
| 1990 | 12 | #7,301 | 6 | #8,114 |
| 1985 | 5 | #12,501 | 5 | #7,583 |
| 1980 | 5 | #12,158 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Zia mean?
Borrowed from Arabic ضِيَاء (ḍiyāʔ, “light”) via Spanish.
How popular is the name Zia in 2025?
Zia ranked #1,477 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 146 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Zia?
3,550 babies have been named Zia in the United States since 1976, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Zia most popular?
Zia peaked in 2024, when 213 newborns received the name.
Is Zia a boy or girl name?
Zia is used for both: about 91% of babies named Zia have been girls and 9% boys.
Is the name Zia rising or falling?
Zia is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.