Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2004

Zak

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #7,181

Alternative form of Zach, a diminutive of the male given names Zachariah, Zacharias, and Zachary.

Rank 2025
#7,181
among boys · ↓2,299 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
12
named Zak · -43% vs 2024
How common
1 in 142,340
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2004
50 babies
All-time total
1,608
#3,780 all-time among boys
First recorded
1965
in Social Security records

Zak popularity over time

1,608 babies have been named Zak since 1965, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.020.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2004Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s 34 3 – #3,558
1970s 139 14 +309% #2,034
1980s 181 18 +30% #1,948
1990s 289 29 +60% #2,085
2000s 411 41 +42% #2,314
2010s 407 41 -1% #2,561
2020s (to 2025) 147 25 -40% #3,119

The story of Zak

Zak is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,181 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1965, 1,608 American babies have been named Zak. Its peak came in 2004, when 50 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

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 Zak stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Zak?

The median living Zak is about 21 years old; half are between 12 and 34. An estimated 1,600 people named Zak are alive in the United States today.

median 21 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Zak year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 12 #7,181
2024 21 #4,882
2023 29 #3,877
2022 25 #4,298
2021 39 #3,119
2020 21 #4,695
2019 32 #3,568
2018 38 #3,102
2017 39 #3,069
2016 34 #3,357
2015 41 #2,918
2014 47 #2,620
2013 48 #2,561
2012 42 #2,868
2011 43 #2,796
2010 43 #2,825
2009 50 #2,557
2008 36 #3,219
2007 50 #2,532
2006 43 #2,742
2005 43 #2,611
2004 50 #2,314
2003 46 #2,347
2002 32 #2,941
2001 27 #3,318
2000 34 #2,734
1995 28 #2,683
1990 36 #2,085
1985 17 #2,941
1980 8 #4,936
1975 12 #3,244
1970 18 #2,212
1965 6 #3,927
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Zak

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Zak Starkey Zak Starkey English drummer (born 1965) Contemporary
  2. 2 Zak Penn Zak Penn American screenwriter (born 1968) Contemporary
  3. 3 Zak Orth Zak Orth American actor b. 1970 · Contemporary
  4. 4 Zak Whitbread Zak Whitbread American soccer player (born 1984) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Zak, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Zak?

The median living Zak is about 21 years old. Half of all living Zaks are between 12 and 34 years old.

How many people named Zak are alive today?

An estimated 1,600 people named Zak are alive in the United States, based on 1,608 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Zak mean?

Alternative form of Zach, a diminutive of the male given names Zachariah, Zacharias, and Zachary.

How popular is the name Zak in 2025?

Zak ranked #7,181 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Zak?

1,608 babies have been named Zak in the United States since 1965, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Zak most popular?

Zak peaked in 2004, when 50 newborns received the name.

Is Zak a boy or girl name?

Zak is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Zak rising or falling?

Zak is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Zak?

Well-known people named Zak include Zak Starkey (musician), Zak Penn (film director), Zak Orth (actor).

Names like Zak

Names that sound and feel close to Zak: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Zak with similar names → More names starting with Z →