Zephaniah
From Hebrew צְפַנְיָה (ts'fanyá).
Every Zephaniah since 1972 — 3,857 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Zephaniah
Zephaniah is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,458 in 2025 with 123 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1972, 3,857 American babies have been named Zephaniah — about 88% boys and 12% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2019, when 194 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 Zephaniah stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Zephaniah 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 | 20 | #6,111 | 123 | #1,458 |
| 2024 | 14 | #7,963 | 144 | #1,339 |
| 2023 | 18 | #6,675 | 125 | #1,457 |
| 2022 | 13 | #8,532 | 119 | #1,522 |
| 2021 | 21 | #5,950 | 132 | #1,396 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6,321 | 125 | #1,397 |
| 2019 | 23 | #5,609 | 171 | #1,143 |
| 2018 | 19 | #6,515 | 152 | #1,227 |
| 2017 | 27 | #5,044 | 138 | #1,313 |
| 2016 | 28 | #4,987 | 144 | #1,274 |
| 2015 | 19 | #6,716 | 122 | #1,415 |
| 2014 | 18 | #6,982 | 123 | #1,388 |
| 2013 | 23 | #5,829 | 129 | #1,337 |
| 2012 | 15 | #8,206 | 117 | #1,427 |
| 2011 | 24 | #5,724 | 117 | #1,424 |
| 2010 | 15 | #8,268 | 108 | #1,516 |
| 2009 | 20 | #6,807 | 109 | #1,528 |
| 2008 | 20 | #6,795 | 121 | #1,407 |
| 2007 | 14 | #9,002 | 109 | #1,476 |
| 2006 | 16 | #7,865 | 91 | #1,604 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10,917 | 85 | #1,618 |
| 2004 | 13 | #8,710 | 75 | #1,719 |
| 2003 | 8 | #12,400 | 63 | #1,884 |
| 2002 | 10 | #10,236 | 66 | #1,770 |
| 2001 | 12 | #8,751 | 59 | #1,892 |
| 2000 | 6 | #15,022 | 68 | #1,698 |
| 1995 | — | — | 29 | #2,625 |
| 1990 | — | — | 18 | #3,466 |
| 1985 | — | — | 7 | #5,781 |
| 1980 | — | — | 7 | #5,522 |
| 1975 | — | — | 7 | #4,796 |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Zephaniah
- Zephaniah Religious figure
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Zephaniah mean?
From Hebrew צְפַנְיָה (ts'fanyá).
How popular is the name Zephaniah in 2025?
Zephaniah ranked #1,458 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 123 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Zephaniah?
3,857 babies have been named Zephaniah in the United States since 1972, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Zephaniah most popular?
Zephaniah peaked in 2019, when 194 newborns received the name.
Is Zephaniah a boy or girl name?
Zephaniah is used for both: about 12% of babies named Zephaniah have been girls and 88% boys.
Is the name Zephaniah rising or falling?
Zephaniah is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Zephaniah?
Well-known people named Zephaniah include Zephaniah (religious figure).