Zakye
A name of Arabic origin meaning "pure, innocent, honest".
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the first name Zakye. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zakye today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zakye births was 2011 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zakye. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
124
~ 1 in 2,764,148 Americans
Peak year
2011
12 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,869
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Zakye: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zakye from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 59 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zakye remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zakye by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Zakye during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zakye
The name Zakye has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in the region of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500-3000 BC. It is believed to be derived from the Sumerian word "zak," meaning "pure" or "clean," and "ye," which was a common suffix used in Sumerian names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zakye can be found in a cuneiform tablet from the city of Uruk, dated around 2800 BC. This tablet contains a list of names, including several variations of Zakye, such as Zakye-ili and Zakye-ilu.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known literary works from ancient Mesopotamia, there is a character named Zakye-bani, which translates to "Zakye is my creator." This text dates back to around 2100 BC and provides evidence of the name's usage during the early stages of Sumerian civilization.
During the Neo-Babylonian period (626-539 BC), the name Zakye gained popularity among the ruling class. One notable figure from this time was Zakye-iddin, a high-ranking official who served under King Nebuchadnezzar II.
In the second century AD, a Jewish scholar named Zakye ben Zakkai played a significant role in the establishment of the Rabbinic Judaism tradition. He is credited with preserving Jewish teachings and traditions after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
Another famous bearer of the name was Zakye al-Razi, a Persian polymath who lived in the 9th and 10th centuries AD. He made significant contributions to various fields, including medicine, philosophy, and astronomy.
During the Islamic Golden Age, the name Zakye was often used by scholars and intellectuals. One notable figure was Zakye al-Qazvini, a 13th-century geographer and scientist who wrote extensively on topics such as cosmography and natural history.
In the 15th century, a Turkish poet and mystic named Zakye Mustafa Efendi gained prominence for his spiritual writings and teachings. His works were widely read and studied within Sufi circles.
While the name Zakye has its roots in ancient Sumerian culture, it has been adopted and adapted by various civilizations throughout history, showcasing its enduring appeal and cultural significance.
People
Zakye + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zakye as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zakye: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zakye?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 124 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zakye going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,764,148 US residents.
Is Zakye a common name?
We classify Zakye as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 125 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zakye most popular?
The single biggest year for Zakye was 2011, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zakye is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Zakye in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zakye a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zakye in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Zakye still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zakye in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Zakye can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Zakye?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.