Zandon
A relatively rare masculine name with speculative Slavic origins.
Name Census estimates that about 141 living Americans carry the first name Zandon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zandon today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zandon births was 2012 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zandon. 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
141
~ 1 in 2,430,882 Americans
Peak year
2012
13 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2023 SSA rank
#14,162
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Zandon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zandon 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 86 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zandon 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 Zandon 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 Zandon
The name Zandon finds its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known written languages dating back to around 3500 BC. It is derived from the Sumerian words "zan" meaning "to bear" and "don" meaning "life," thus symbolizing the concept of bearing or giving life. The earliest recorded use of the name can be traced back to cuneiform inscriptions found in the region of ancient Mesopotamia, which is now modern-day Iraq.
In the ancient Sumerian culture, names often held deep symbolic significance, reflecting the hopes and aspirations of parents for their children. Zandon was likely bestowed upon newborns with the intention of imbuing them with the qualities of vitality, strength, and the ability to nurture and sustain life. The name's connection to the concept of life-giving resonated strongly in an era when survival was a constant struggle against the harsh elements and scarce resources.
While there are no known direct references to the name Zandon in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its Sumerian roots suggest that it may have been used among the ruling class or priestly caste of the time. The name's association with the concept of life and fertility could have made it a popular choice among those seeking divine blessings or favor from the gods.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Zandon was a Sumerian scribe who lived around 2500 BC. His clay tablets, which have been preserved, provide valuable insights into the daily life and customs of the ancient Sumerian civilization. Another notable figure was Zandon of Ur, a prominent merchant who lived in the city-state of Ur around 2200 BC and is believed to have played a significant role in the region's thriving trade networks.
In the later centuries, the name Zandon appears to have been adopted by various cultures that came into contact with the Sumerian civilization, albeit with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation. For instance, the ancient Babylonian empire, which rose to prominence in the 18th century BC, had records of individuals named Zandun, which was likely an adaptation of the original Sumerian name.
During the medieval period, the name Zandon made an appearance in the historical records of the Byzantine Empire, where it was borne by a notable scholar and philosopher named Zandon of Byzantium, who lived in the 9th century AD and made significant contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time.
Another noteworthy figure was Zandon al-Andalusi, a renowned poet and scholar from the Iberian Peninsula during the golden age of Islamic civilization in the 11th century AD. His collection of poetry and writings shed light on the cultural and literary traditions of the era.
While the name Zandon has largely fallen out of common usage in modern times, its ancient Sumerian roots and historical significance continue to fascinate scholars and historians who study the rich tapestry of human civilization and the enduring impact of names on cultural identity.
People
Zandon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zandon 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
Zandon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zandon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 141 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zandon 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 2,430,882 US residents.
Is Zandon a common name?
We classify Zandon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 142 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zandon most popular?
The single biggest year for Zandon was 2012, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zandon is about 13 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 Zandon in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zandon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zandon 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 Zandon still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zandon 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 Zandon 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 Americans are named Zandon?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.