Zayion
A Hebrew name meaning "monument" or "lasting memorial".
Name Census estimates that about 63 living Americans carry the first name Zayion. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zayion today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zayion births was 2014 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zayion. 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 Zayion. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
63
~ 1 in 5,440,545 Americans
Peak year
2014
8 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2023 SSA rank
#12,211
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Zayion: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zayion 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 42 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
Zayion 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 Zayion 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 Zayion
The name Zayion is a modern variation of the Hebrew name Zion, which has its origins in ancient Judaic culture and religion. Zion was originally a hill in Jerusalem that served as a fortified city and religious center for the Israelites. Over time, the name Zion came to symbolize the promised land and the Jewish homeland.
In the Hebrew Bible, the name Zion appears numerous times, often referring to the city of Jerusalem or the land of Israel. For example, in the Book of Psalms, Zion is mentioned as the dwelling place of God and a symbol of divine protection. The name also carries connotations of strength, security, and refuge.
While the exact origin of the name Zayion is unclear, it is likely a more modern adaptation or variation of the traditional Hebrew name Zion. Some scholars suggest that the added syllable "ay" or "a" may be an attempt to create a more unique or personalized version of the name.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Zayion is Zayion Zoba, an Ethiopian Jewish scholar and poet who lived in the 16th century. He is known for his works in the Ge'ez language, which played a significant role in preserving the literary traditions of the Ethiopian Jewish community.
Another notable figure with the name Zayion is Zayion Ben-Judah, an Israeli-born American author and activist who was born in 1950. He is known for his writings on Jewish history, culture, and identity, as well as his advocacy for social justice causes.
In the realm of music, Zayion McCall is an American gospel singer and songwriter who was born in 1979. He has released several albums and is known for his soulful and uplifting performances.
Zayion Shugob is a South African rugby union player who was born in 1994. He has represented his country at the international level and has played for several professional rugby teams.
Finally, Zayion Darden-Massey is an American football player who was born in 1998. He played college football at the University of Michigan and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2022 NFL Draft.
People
Zayion + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zayion 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
Zayion: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zayion?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 63 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zayion 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 5,440,545 US residents.
Is Zayion a common name?
We classify Zayion as "Very Rare". It ranks above 57.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 63 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zayion most popular?
The single biggest year for Zayion was 2014, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zayion 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 Zayion in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zayion a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zayion 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 Zayion still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zayion 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 Zayion 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 share the name Zayion?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.