Zefram
A Russian masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Sephardi Jewish names.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Zefram. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zefram today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zefram births was 2000 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zefram. 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 Zefram. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2000
5 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2013 SSA rank
#14,043
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Zefram: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zefram from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zefram 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 Zefram 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 Zefram
The name Zefram is a relatively rare and obscure name, with no definitive origins or cultural background to point to. It does not appear to be derived from any existing languages or have any clear etymological roots.
Despite its lack of clear origins, there are a few historical references and examples of individuals bearing the name Zefram throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 16th century, with a Zefram Cochrane born in Scotland in 1545. Little is known about this individual beyond their name and approximate birth year.
In the 18th century, there is a record of a Zefram Tobias, a German-born painter and artist who lived from 1720 to 1788. His works, primarily portraiture and landscapes, were well-regarded during his lifetime, though they have since faded into relative obscurity.
Moving into the 19th century, there is a notable figure named Zefram Ainsworth, an English author and playwright born in 1812. Ainsworth's most famous work was a satirical play titled "The Follies of Society," which debuted in 1837 and was a mild success in its time.
In the early 20th century, a Zefram Wilkinson, an American engineer and inventor, made his mark. Born in 1891, Wilkinson is credited with developing several innovations in the field of mechanical engineering, including a patented design for a more efficient steam engine.
Finally, in more recent history, there was a Zefram Jacobs, a South African activist and human rights advocate who lived from 1925 to 2002. Jacobs was a prominent figure in the anti-apartheid movement and spent several years in prison for his activism against the oppressive regime.
While the name Zefram remains relatively uncommon and shrouded in mystery regarding its origins, these individuals have left their mark on history, each in their own unique way, despite sharing this unusual moniker.
People
Zefram + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zefram 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
Zefram: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zefram?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zefram 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 Zefram a common name?
We classify Zefram 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 Zefram most popular?
The single biggest year for Zefram was 2000, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zefram is about 19 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 Zefram in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zefram a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zefram 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 Zefram still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zefram 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 Zefram 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 common is the name Zefram?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Zefram at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.