Zebula
A feminine name potentially derived from Hebrew meaning "gift from God".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Zebula. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zebula today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zebula births was 1979 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zebula. 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 Zebula. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1979
6 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
1979 SSA rank
#6,050
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Zebula: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zebula 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 Zebula during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zebula
The name Zebula has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known written languages dating back to around 3500 BCE. It is derived from the Sumerian words "ze" meaning "life" and "bula" meaning "to bring forth" or "to create." Thus, the name Zebula can be interpreted as "one who brings forth life" or "creator of life."
The name was prominent among the Sumerian people, who inhabited the region of Mesopotamia, which is now modern-day Iraq. It was often given to children as a symbol of the parents' hope for a long and fruitful life for their offspring. The earliest known mention of the name can be found in cuneiform inscriptions on clay tablets from the city of Uruk, one of the earliest known urban settlements in the world.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known literary works dating back to around 2100 BCE, there is a reference to a character named Zebula, who is described as a wise and respected elder in the city of Uruk. This suggests that the name held significance and was associated with wisdom and longevity in ancient Sumerian culture.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Zebula. One of the earliest recorded was Zebula of Lagash, a high priest and scribe who lived in the city-state of Lagash (modern-day Al-Hiba, Iraq) during the 24th century BCE. He is known for his contributions to the development of the Sumerian writing system and for his religious writings.
Another prominent figure was Zebula of Nippur, a Sumerian astronomer and mathematician who lived in the city of Nippur (modern-day Nuffar, Iraq) in the 21st century BCE. He is credited with making significant advancements in the study of celestial bodies and developing early mathematical concepts.
In the 9th century BCE, there was Zebula of Babylon, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived during the Neo-Babylonian period. He is known for his writings on ethics, metaphysics, and the nature of the universe, which influenced later philosophical traditions in the region.
During the Sassanid Empire (224-651 CE), which ruled over much of ancient Persia, there was a notable Persian poet named Zebula who was celebrated for his lyrical works and contributions to the Persian literary tradition.
In more recent times, there was Zebula al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi historian and scholar who lived in the early 20th century (1885-1959). He is known for his extensive research and writings on the history and culture of ancient Mesopotamia, particularly the Sumerian and Babylonian civilizations.
People
Zebula + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zebula 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
Zebula: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zebula?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zebula 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Zebula a common name?
We classify Zebula as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zebula most popular?
The single biggest year for Zebula was 1979, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zebula is about 44 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 Zebula in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zebula a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zebula 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 Zebula still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zebula 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 Zebula 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 called Zebula?
You can see how many people share the name Zebula on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.