Baby Names Girl Names Zoe Name Meaning Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Zoe. By Vicky Yip Published on June 24, 2024 Fact checked by Sarah Scott In This Article View All In This Article How Popular Is the Name Zoe? Name Variations Similar Names Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named Zoe Close The name Zoe is of Greek origin. Alexandrian Jews translated the Hebrew name Eve, meaning "life," to its Greek equivalent, Zoe. The name Zoe has long been associated with the words "life" or "living." Although an ancient name, Zoe has a youthful and vibrant quality to it. Zoe has also retained its popularity over the centuries and is still widely used. The name Zoe is well-represented in pop culture today. Origin: The name Zoe is of Greek origin and means “life.”Gender: Zoe is most commonly used as a girl name.Pronunciation: ZOWE-ee Editor's Note Although baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It's important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best. How Popular Is the Name Zoe? Since 2000, Zoe has remained one of the top 100 most popular names for baby girls. According to data from the Social Security Administration, it ranked No. 724 in 1900, when data was first available. Zoe remained near the bottom of the top 1,000 list, ranking mostly between 700 and 900 over the next 80 years, and fell off the list briefly several times during that period. It was completely off the list from 1942 to 1950. However, between 1988 and 1989, Zoe jumped almost 200 spots. The sudden jump in popularity may be partly attributed to a 1989 American anthology film New York Stories. The film consisted of three segments, one of them being Life Without Zoë directed by Francis Ford Coppola. In 1993, the children's program Sesame Street introduced a lively, tutu-wearing character named Zoe. Zoe's popularity also put a spotlight on the name. From there it continued to climb the charts. The name became so popular that by 2012, Zoe reached No. 30, the peak of its rankings. In 2022, Zoe was the 38th most popular name for baby girls. Name Variations The following are variations of the name Zoe: Zoey (English) Zoie (English) Zoja (Croatian) Zowie (English) Zoya (Russian) Similar Names Similar sounding names to Zoe include: ChloeJoeyZaraZoha Other Greek girl names include: AnastasiaCalistaDanaeDemiSelenaSophiaThaliaThelma Other girl names that start with "Z" include: ZamoraZariahZeldaZendayaZinaZinniaZipporahZora Suggested Sibling Names Looking for a sibling name for Zoe? Here are some popular options: AvaBrodyFinnHazelIslaLeoLucaMaxMayaMiaNikoSkyeStella Famous People Named Zoe There are several famous entertainers with the name Zoe, and many fictional characters with the name as well. Famous Zoes Zoë Akins, Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright, poet, and authorZoe "Zoella" Elizabeth Sugg, English social media personality, entrepreneur, and authorZoë Isabella Kravitz, American actress, singer, model, and daughter of actor-musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa BonetZoe Saldana, American actressZoë, British singer and pop starZooey Deschanel, American actress and musician Fictional Zoes Zoe Barnes, a newspaper reporter/blogger in the TV series House of CardsZoe Luper, a character in the soap opera All My ChildrenZoe Murphy, a character from the musical Dear Evan HansenZoe Newton, a character from the soap opera EastEndersZoë Nightshade, a character from the popular teen book series Percy Jackson & the OlympiansZoe Zibbell, a character in the kids' book series Spy School by Stuart GibbsZoe, an orange Muppet character on Sesame StreetZoey Bartlet, the youngest daughter of President Bartlet on the TV series The West WingZoey Brooks, the main character on the kids' TV show Zoey 101Zoey Pierson, Ted's environmentalist girlfriend in How I Met Your MotherZoey, Rudolph's friend in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie More Baby Names Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names 30 Baby Names That Start With the Letter "Z" 36 Disney-Inspired Baby Names Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Popularity of a Name: Zoe. Social Security Administration. 2023.