Zann
An archaic word from the Middle English language meaning "one who sings".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Zann. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zann today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zann births was 2003 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zann. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Zann. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2003
5 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2009 SSA rank
#14,503
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Zann: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zann 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 Zann during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zann
The name Zann is believed to have its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in the region of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500-3000 BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sumerian word "zanna," meaning "to be strong" or "to be brave."
In the early days of the Sumerian civilization, the name Zann was likely given to children as a symbolic wish for them to grow up to be strong and courageous individuals. It is possible that the name was also associated with some ancient Sumerian deities or mythological figures, but there is no conclusive evidence of this.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Zann can be traced back to an ancient Sumerian cuneiform tablet dating back to around 2500 BCE. This tablet was discovered in the archaeological site of Ur and contained a list of names, including Zann.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zann. One of the earliest known figures was Zann of Uruk, a Sumerian poet and playwright who lived around 2300 BCE and is credited with writing some of the earliest literary works in human history.
Another prominent figure was Zann the Wise, a renowned philosopher and scholar who lived in the city of Babylon during the reign of King Hammurabi (circa 1792-1750 BCE). His writings on ethics, logic, and metaphysics were highly influential in the ancient world.
In the realm of mythology, there was Zann the Hunter, a legendary figure from ancient Assyrian folklore who was said to be an expert tracker and master of the bow. His exploits were chronicled in various oral traditions and served as inspiration for many later stories and legends.
During the medieval period, there was Zann al-Din, a Persian mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 13th century CE. He made significant contributions to the field of trigonometry and authored several important works on the subject.
In more recent times, one of the most notable individuals with the name Zann was Zann Kempster, a British painter and illustrator who lived from 1880 to 1962. He was renowned for his vibrant landscapes and his illustrations for several classic works of literature.
While the name Zann may not be as common today, its ancient roots and historical significance serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of this unique and meaningful moniker.
People
Zann + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zann 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
Zann: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zann?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zann 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Zann a common name?
We classify Zann as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zann most popular?
The single biggest year for Zann was 2003, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zann is about 20 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 Zann in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zann a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zann 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 Zann still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zann 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 Zann 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 Zann?
Find out how many people have the name Zann on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.