Zenis
A feminine name of Greek origin representing the Greek goddess Athena.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Zenis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zenis today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zenis births was 1927 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zenis. 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 Zenis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1927
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1927 SSA rank
#4,801
Tracked since 1927
Popularity
Zenis: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zenis 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 Zenis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zenis
The given name Zenis has its roots in ancient Greece, originating from the word "Xenis," which translates to "foreigner" or "stranger." This name gained prominence during the Classical period, which spanned from the 5th to the 4th century BCE.
The name Zenis was particularly popular among Greek philosophers and scholars, as it represented a sense of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. One of the earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in the writings of Plato, where he mentions a philosopher named Zenis of Elea, who lived in the 5th century BCE and was a follower of the philosopher Parmenides.
Throughout history, the name Zenis has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Zenis of Citium, a Stoic philosopher who lived in the 3rd century BCE and was a pupil of Crates of Mallus. Zenis is credited with establishing the Stoic school of philosophy in Athens and played a significant role in the dissemination of Stoic teachings throughout the ancient world.
In the realm of literature, Zenis of Chios, a Greek poet and grammarian from the 5th century BCE, was renowned for his works on the Homeric epics and his contributions to the study of language and meter.
The name Zenis also found its way into the annals of military history. Zenis of Ephesus, a skilled general who lived in the 4th century BCE, was celebrated for his strategic prowess and his victories in battles against the Persians.
Another noteworthy figure bearing this name was Zenis of Sidon, a Phoenician philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 4th century BCE and made significant contributions to the study of astronomy and geometry.
While the name Zenis fell out of widespread use after the decline of ancient Greek civilization, it has occasionally resurfaced throughout history. In the 15th century, a renowned Italian humanist and scholar, Zenis Acciaioli, played a pivotal role in the revival of classical learning during the Renaissance period.
People
Zenis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zenis 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
Zenis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zenis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zenis 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 - US residents.
Is Zenis a common name?
We classify Zenis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zenis most popular?
The single biggest year for Zenis was 1927, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zenis is about 0 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 Zenis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zenis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zenis 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 Zenis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zenis 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 Zenis 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 Zenis?
You can see how many Americans are named Zenis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.