Our Favorite Baby Names Starting with Z

145 Replies

Commenter Mara mentioned on the last post that she used to play an alphabet game with baby names where she’d choose her top favorite names for each letter. I am still feeling too mentally scattered to post normally, but the idea of this game appealed to me and I thought it might also appeal to others and that we could play it for awhile. I’m going to go in reverse alphabetical order, because it’s not fair that the beginning of the alphabet always gets to go first.

At first I was thinking we’d do several letters at a time, in batches: our favorite names starting with X/Y/Z, that sort of thing. But then I started working on the day’s letters, and found I was overwhelmed and inclined to give up. So perhaps it will end up being too SMALL a bite, but let’s just do one letter at a time and see how it goes. For a letter like Z it won’t take long, but just wait until we get to letters like J and M and E!

Here is the game as I plan to play it: I am going to pretend that I am naming a baby and that the name MUST start with the letter Z, so I will need one Z name for a boy and one Z name for a girl, or else one name that would work for either, EVEN IF I don’t like any of the Z names enough to Actually In Real Life choose them. I’m not planning to play that the name has to fit with the names of my other children or with the surname, though this would be an option for anyone who would LIKE to play it that way; I think I will have more fun if I pretend it is a stand-alone baby and that the surname is not an issue, though I may change my mind as we go. (If I narrow it down to a few options and can’t decide, I might use siblings/surname as a tie-breaker.) It is also fine to narrow it down to a few finalists without getting to The One Name. We can also all make our own decisions about whether the names have to be ones we think we’d ACTUALLY USE in that hypothetical scenario, or just our FAVORITE names starting with that letter, regardless of whether we think the names are practical; I am not sure which way I will play it, and I might not be consistent. If you already have a child with a name starting with the letter we’re working on, you get to pick again from all the names that remain; you don’t have to choose your child’s name as your favorite just because it WAS your favorite: this is a FRESH baby. And you can do as much or as little explanation as you like in your comment: you can just list the names, or you can explain your process/preferences/reasoning/runners-up, or whatever is most fun.

So today’s letter is Z! And I find my inclination today is to choose the names I would actually pick if I had a real baby and were required to use a Z name—but without it having to go with the sibling names. I think I would choose Zinnia for a girl, and Zeke for a boy. The girl name was easier (though I hesitated at Zaria and Zelda and Zola); the boy name was more difficult because my own preference is to use full names and have the option of a nickname, rather than using the nickname as the given name—but when I narrowed it down to a few that met my preference (such as Zachary), Zeke was still the name I most wanted to use. And this is pretend, so it’s fine.

Now you! If you want to! Only if it’s fun and not stressful! Feel free to adjust the game-play to be fun and not stressful!

145 thoughts on “Our Favorite Baby Names Starting with Z”

  2. Yolihet

    I love these games, where I get to name babies that I definitely won’t have! My favorite Z names are Zachary and for a girl Zoé!

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      1. Renée

        I love it. Do people call you that ever? Quite a natural nickname for Susan! I often wish I had a cool nickname….

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    1. Andrea

      Zora and Zane would be my choices too. I think I like the sound of Zara a bit more than Zora, but the association of Zora Neale Hurston wins out for me.

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  6. A

    Oh this is an easy one for me! I’ve had Z names on my shortlist for years!

    Girl: Zoe
    Boy: Zachary or Zane

    Despite its popularity, I love the meaning of Zoe (“life”) along with its spunky feel.

    Zachary is the first name I’ve ever loved but I’m not as big of a fan of Zack (which you know it will inevitably be shortened to) so perhaps I’d save this for a middle name instead.

    I like Zane because it’s straightforward, short, and strong. It feels rugged without being too over the top and it ages well from baby to adult.

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    1. Kerri McP

      I know a little Zacharias (under 5) who goes by Zachy (to rhyme with Jackie) for short sometimes. It’s kinda cutesy, and might not work so well when he’s bigger, but they’ve avoided Zach by using it. I like it.

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  8. Ashley

    I too will choose Zinnia. It was on our list for our second child until I realized it rhymes with my husband’s name (Vinny). I would have surely messed that up on a daily basis.

    For boys I choose Zed.

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  11. Suzanne

    Girl: Zephyr (I don’t know, if I were pregnant currently and I HAD to name a baby with a Z name, that I would REALLY choose this name, but I LOVE it and this is pretend, so.)
    Boy: Zane

    This is a fun game – and I love seeing all the options, especially with an unusual/lesser-used letter like Z!

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  12. Amy S

    Zoe and Zander.

    Love games like this. Z was an easy letter for girls, but for boys I would use Zander but I wouldn’t be exactly happy about it. Much prefer the Xander spelling.

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  13. Laura

    I’m 32 weeks pregnant with our ninth and everything about being pregnant has been stressful lately especially picking out her name. I had been thinking about Zoe again this morning even though it’s not a perfect fit for our sibling group so like some earlier posters that would be my Z name for a girl. If our “she” is in fact a “he” and I would likely pick Zachary though if I picked the name I just plain liked saying I would choose Zeke.

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  17. Rosie

    Oooh nice idea. I have a Zachary (nn Zack) and we almost went with Zoe for our daughter so I’m going to NOT choose these two names and go for no-strings, additional considerations and just pick my favourite names. For a girl, Zara. For a boy, I’m going with Zeke too (although I find myself pining for Zack, which makes me happy as that’s what I actually have!)

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  18. Erin in CA

    This is a particularly fun game for me because I raise puppies for Guide Dogs of America. Every litter is assigned a letter, and the puppy raisers get to choose their puppy’s name (but it cannot already be in use). I keep lists of potential puppy names on my phone!

    So far we have raised an F-boy: Ferris. A V-girl: Vivian. And right now we are raising a Z-girl! Her name is …. Zelda!! (For the record, the other puppies in her litter are Zoe, Zeke, Zephyr – girl, Zurie, and Zola.)

    So my picks are Zelda for a girl and Zorro for a boy (which is what we submitted to GDA for this puppy).

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  22. Kate

    Oh man, I love Zelie, Zita, Zara amd Zuzu for a girl, but my dad’s great aunt was the amazing Zepherine nn Zee so I’d probably go for that (at least for the first Z girl).

    For a boy, probably Zechariah and I love Zeke as a nickname for it.

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      1. Susan

        When I was a little girl, my mother used a medicine called Zephiran for all our cuts. I haven’t heard of it for years, so probably not a deal breaker for anyone using the name now. And maybe it would be pronounced differently than the name? (The medicine was pronounced ZEF-er-in.)

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  23. Jaime

    As soon as I saw the post heading, I was like, “Zinnia and Zeke!” Great minds think alike, I guess. 😏

    Runners-ups: Zadie and Zachary

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  27. Meg

    Girl choice is easy: Zoe! It’s my favorite name, period.

    A boy would be tougher. I want to say Zachary, but my cousin already has a son named Zachary and I’m not sure if I’d want to repeat. On the other hand, I don’t really love any other Z boys’ names… Maybe Zacharias would be different enough. Or maybe Zephaniah?

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  33. Iris

    Not hypothetical because we used it. My daughter is named Zoa. It was my great grandmother’s name. We love it. The elder Zoa had a twin named Zola, which we also considered.

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  34. Janet

    I have a cat named Zora so…

    Girl: Zadie, though someone said Zelie above and I might like that even more!
    Boy: Zev is so cute

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  38. Debbie

    Fun game! Zander for a boy (though I should keep it for my X I suppose) and Zoey for a girl. I’m fond of the nickname Zo too. ^_^

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  40. Emily

    Girls: Zaneen (technically starts with a Tz), Zephyrine
    Winner: Zosia

    Boys: Zen, Zoran
    Winner: Ziggy

    But if they were twins it’d be Zosia & Zoran.

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    1. AlexiswithaG

      Came to say these! Zosia and Ziggy
      I know a little named Zosia after her Polish grandma, so cute.
      And Ziggy is just fun!

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  44. TheFirstA

    Girl: Ziva
    Boy: Zacharias

    The girl name was easier, I had several that I liked. The boy name was much harder, it’s not a name I would actually use and feel excited about but I could live with it.

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  45. rlbelle

    I would probably go with Zachary (Zach). I have an old high school friend with the name, and in real life, I might avoid it because of that, but for a hypothetical, it’s definitely my favorite Z for a boy.

    For a girl, I think I’d use Zona. It’s not a name I love, but it was my grandmother’s name on my dad’s side, and I love that she had such an unusual name. It would be a fun one to pass down. Alternatively, I like Zora.

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  47. michelleJ

    Zoltan! (This is the name my current-bf and I came across – was there a basketball player at UMich a dozen years ago?- and started joking about a kid with that name…then we married and got pregnant and it was still our secret name for the baby. Oh there’s also a composer with that name. We have a common last name like Johnson or Smith so it was a standout first name with a blah last name. We did not actually end up using it because we’re not that cool. Maybe for a pet one day.
    I’m liking the Zora and Zadie for girls!

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  48. Stephanie

    Zoe and Zachariah!

    Although… I have a friend named Isaiah nn Zeke. I feel like that’s cheating here because the given name isn’t a Z name, but that combo would beat out Zachariah on a real baby for me.

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  51. Taylor O

    Zuzu, possibly short for Zuzanna!

    Zeb. I find that really satisfying to say, and I am very influenced by how names sound/feel.

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  53. Laura

    My great-grandmother was named Zelda, so that’s an easy pick for me! For a boy name, maybe Zev. Zane and Zachariah are probably my back-ups.

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  58. Jamie

    I know THREE real life sib sets of Zach and Zoe. Z seems to be a letter that people like to alliterate for sibs.

    I have a boy named Zion (Rhymes with lion. You would be surprised how often people try to pronounce it “zee-own”.) I felt him kick for the first time while hiking in Zion National Park!
    For a girl, I would choose Zara if I had to start with Z. I do have two other children and did NOT choose more Z names.

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  59. EG1972

    When I was pregnant I had a very clear dream we named the baby Zabe. I briefly woke up to tell my husband and he insists I told him the baby’s name was “Zerb”. He was laughing so hard he had to go in the closet to keep from waking me.

    We did not use either of those names.

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  61. Sara

    I would choose Zara for a girl, although I had a friend growing up whose mom’s name was Zela, I always thought that was interesting.

    Boys… I don’t love any of them, but forced to choose Zac (or Zeus, why not?!)

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  62. Ang

    I have looooong been a fan of Zeke, and always told my husband that we would be naming out firstborn son Zeke.

    Girl names….maybe Zola. I also kind of like Zara.

    (We’re not having any kids actually; long ago decided it. So the discussion was always completely academic!)

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  64. Britni

    I do like the name Zane, but my husbands name is Dane and I just couldn’t do Dane and Zane. A friend named her son Zeno. Zeppelin sounds “cool” to me.
    For girls, I immediately thought Zora and was surprised by how many people in the comments said the same. I like Zara but think it’s a clothing company? so wouldn’t use. I would love to use Zenon – from that Disney movie – but probably wouldn’t. I think Zaylie appeals to me the most at the moment.
    Zeppelin and Zaylie.

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  66. Diane C.

    We almost named our daughter Zelda! I love that name but we were worried that it was too out there. I’m so delighted to see it in so many comments here.
    For a boy, I like Zander.

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  68. Elizabeth

    Girl: Zara, Zipporah. I knew a Zippy years ago and she was perfectly named!

    Boy: I read the whole Z section in the baby name wizard and I don’t like any of them, so hmmm. I am extremely fond of the word Zebra, but only on babies with stripes and hooves.

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  69. Genevieve

    Boy: Zion
    Girl: Zara or Zoe.

    I actually used Zoe as a middle name for one of my girls but I do still love it a lot!

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  70. renchickadee

    Girl – I love a lot of Z names for girls, including Zafira, Zephyr, Zella, Zillah, and Zora, but I think the winner would be Zari or Zaria.

    Boy – Not including my son’s Z name, I think I would go with Zev or Zebedee (Zeb). Zadok might be a little too close to my son’s name if I was considering the sibset.

    Incidentally, I think I subconsciously chose a name for my son that could be nicknamed to Zeke. This was because he was conceived in 2016, two weeks after returning from a trip to Colombia during the height of the Zika virus, and the whole pregnancy had to be monitored more carefully than usual. I was worried and joked that his fetus name should be Zeke. Then, after seeing one of his later ultrasound photos, I decided that none of my favorite names were HIS name, and the only name on my list that fit him was a Z name. I didn’t realize until later that it probably wasn’t the baby communicating his name to me, but just me picking the name that sounded the most like Zeke. Oh, well. It really was the right name.

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  71. Ashley

    Well, I already named my cat Zelda and my rule for this game is I have to pretend I’m naming my actual next baby (it would be my fourth), so since I’d not actually name my baby after this still-living cat, that’s out. I am not a true fan of any of the other Z names but I’d settle for Zora for a girl (even though two of my girls would then have an A ending, which I don’t love). For a boy I would use Zachary.

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  72. Saraya

    Ah I’m torn between Zélie and Zéphyrine for a girl.

    Zimri (probably with a G middle name so I can call him Ziggy)

    Zéphyrine (nn Zephy)

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  73. Katherine

    Zella!!! I know one adult and one toddler named Zella and it is such a beautifully thrilling name on each of them.

    And for a boy: Ziggy.

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    1. Beeejet

      I can’t believe no one else has said Zella yet!!
      It was my immediate thought, just on seeing the title! 😊

      Mine choices are:
      Zella
      Zeke

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  74. StephLove

    We actually had Zachary and Zane on our boy list, so of those. Zane, I think.

    I like Zoë but it’s my youngest’s best friend’s name, so that would seem weird. Zora? Zelda? Zinnia? Do I have to talk my wife into these names? If not, Zinnia.

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  75. Jenny

    I know a Zipporah who goes by Zipper, which I love. But for a girl I would choose Zorah or Zadie, after authors I admire.

    For a boy, probably Zachary.

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  76. Anna

    I just read about a woman named Zenaida 😍

    Several people have mentioned Zephyr, which I love for a girl or a boy.

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    1. BSharp

      Oh yeah, St Zenaida the Physician was a science badass!

      Okay, I am changing my answer. Still Zinnia, but for St Zenaida instead of Xenia. I also love the French Zenaïde.

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  77. Ashley

    Zane or Zuzu!

    This is an imaginary baby, as these names don’t work for me with my kids’ names, but fun nonetheless.

    (I did, however, name a miscarried baby that I suspected to be a girl Susannah Louisa, with the nickname Zuzu, to honor a family member, my favorite author (Louisa May Alcott), and my favorite movie (“It’s A Wonderful Life”).)

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  78. Cece

    Ooh! Girl is easier, I’d go Zora. I don’t love any of the boy choices but I I think Zachary would be my number one, it’s a lovely name I’ve just known too many little Zachs to see it clearly now.

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  81. BSharp

    I would go for Zinnia as a twist on honoring St Xenia. Also my husband’s favorite flower.
    Zara is pretty too.

    Zac is nice, Zachary as the full name.

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  82. Mara

    Yay! Was so happy to see this post! I had put Zara as my girl name even though my name is Mara, but now seeing all these other possibilities, I think I would change to Zuri!

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  84. heidi

    I already have a Zachary (Zach) and I think I would keep that for a boy. Girl names are harder, there are so many more I like. Zelda! Zoe! Zola! If I had to pick one? I think I’d go with Zola.

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  85. Sargjo

    Girl: Zilde short for French-Canadian ancestor Azilde

    Boy: Zadok, names after three 19th c Zadoks in the family tree grandfather-father-son

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  86. Jennie

    To actually use: Zinnia (g) or Ziv (unisex name but I prefer it on a boy). Might consider the spelling Zeve.

    Favorite but not usable for us: Zahara.

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    1. Genevieve

      Zillah! From Madeleine L’Engle’s A Swiftly Tilting Planet. (Zara is also great.)
      And I guess Zeke for a boy.

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  91. Izzy

    Easy for a girl – Zelda, which was on our shortlist for our son if he was a girl, and is a possible option (although long shot) for our baby-on-the-way.
    Very hard for a boy, I don’t seem to love any z names. But I do quite like Zennor. It’s a Cornish place name that I’ve heard once used on a girl but I don’t see why it couldn’t be for a boy. We’re not remotely Cornish though so doubt we’d use it. I also like Ziggy but I’d want a long version – Zigmund is kind of cool actually?
    So Zelda and Zennor or Zigmund nn Ziggy.

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  92. Jacquelyn

    Z-names that first came to mind are Zachary and Zara… I have a Zachary myself and my cousin has a Zara!

    But for the game, I’d want to go more unusual and adventure-story-ish. So…

    Boy: Zephyr
    Girl: Zenith

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  94. Jean C.

    My preschooler has a good buddy named Zareen and I think that name is just beautiful! I tried to talk my husband into Zelda, but he’s a gamer and it was just too strong of an association for him—not a bad association of course, just a name that belonged to someone else already.
    For a boy, I think Zane. Or I kind of think Zurich could work? I mean if Paris, London, Brooklyn, Madison can all work, maybe Zurich could too.

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  98. Miss G

    Zelda for a girl (it was on my list the first time around, and actually goes with my kids’ names), and Zephyr for a boy (was also on the first list, but sticks out like a sore thumb).

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  100. Amity

    I did this game regularly as a kid! I wanted to have a ton of babies and use all the letters.
    Only had 10 and they all have a different letter which really helps for organizational purposes.
    Zane and Zara

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  108. Paola

    I may be mistaken but I can’t believe the name of a very popular young actress is t mentioned – Zendaya!!!

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  109. Kirstin G

    Zebedee is a secret favorite of mine. It’s charmingly odd, but Zeb seems like a doable nickname.

    and Zuri

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  110. Brooke

    So many good Z names!

    Zebulon for a boy, for girls I’d be between Zora, Zinnia, Zephyrine and Zenaida/ Zinaida. Everyone’s right, Zzzz’s don’t look real after reading all the posts! I’ll go with Zenaida, nickname Zen/Zenny.

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  116. Amy

    I wouldn’t be able to use Zoe or Zachary, so those names are off the table for me. The comments have been really helpful to me here. I love Zadie, Zelie and Zinniah – with that extra h! I follow a blogger online who has a little boy called Zephyr and it has really grown on me. I’m going for Zinniah and Zephyr!

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  117. April Stephens

    For a girl, I’d choose Zelie. She’d be named after St. Zelie (Marie-Azelie) Martin, mother of St. Therese of Lisieux. I like that the sound of Zelie is a little softer than some of the spunkier, zippier Z options. Also, when my 3-year-old says the word “jelly,” it comes out like “zhelly,” so I think I’d find it very cute to hear his pronunciation of Zelie.

    For a boy, I might choose Zachary in the vacuum of a game. In real life, my parents have a painful association with the name Zachary, so I’d settle for Zechariah. I believe Zechariah can refer to the Old Testament prophet or the New Testament figure, father of St. John the Baptist, though I’m a little confused that sometimes it’s spelled Zachariah. It’s more fun for me to play bound by real-life constraints, so that’s what I’ll do.

    Z: Zelie and Zechariah

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