Zen
Meaningmeditation · Japanese
- US rank
- #1,141
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #905 in 2022
185 babies were named Zen in the US in 2025. It has climbed 55 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million girls, 1998–2025
US births per million boys, 1969–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Zen you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 9,234 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Zen, 185 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Zen would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryZen first shows up in US birth records in 1969, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 56 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2022, when it reached #905.
- Then vs nowZen is 6.6× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 61,350 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 9,234.
- TrendZen has climbed 55 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,141. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedZen is most popular in Maryland, where it ranks #516, followed by Washington (#639) and Georgia (#673). It's in the top 1,000 in 10 states.
- Boy or girlZen is given to both boys and girls: 81% of the 228 babies named Zen in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn Japanese, Zen means “meditation”.
About the name Zen
Zen is a gender-neutral name meaning “meditation”. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with Z and ending in “-zen”. US birth records list Zen for boys from 1969 to 2025, in 39 of those 57 years. Its best year was 2022, when it ranked #905 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,141, with 185 babies. Of the 228 US babies named Zen in 2025, 19% were girls and 81% were boys.
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.4 | 714,286 girls |
| 2000s | 3.8 | 260,417 girls |
| 2010s | 12 | 83,056 girls |
| 2020s | 32 | 31,496 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.8 | 357,143 boys |
| 1980s | 0.6 | 1,694,915 boys |
| 1990s | 7.9 | 126,904 boys |
| 2000s | 25 | 40,683 boys |
| 2010s | 43 | 23,047 boys |
| 2020s | 120 | 8,309 boys |
Questions about the name Zen
What does the name Zen mean?
Zen means “meditation” in Japanese.
Is Zen a boy or girl name?
Both. Zen is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 19% of US babies named Zen were girls.
How popular is the name Zen?
Zen ranked #1,141 for US boys in 2025, given to 185 babies. Its best year was 2022 (#905).