Zeno
Greek name meaning "gift of life" or "life-giving one".
Name Census estimates that about 878 living Americans carry the first name Zeno. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zeno today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zeno births was 2024 (58 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zeno. 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.
People living today
878
~ 1 in 390,381 Americans
Peak year
2024
58 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,413
Tracked since 1883
Popularity
Zeno: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zeno from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 222 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
Zeno 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 Zeno during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zenos live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, North Carolina, Florida recorded the most babies named Zeno, while Texas, New York, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 32 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zeno
The name Zeno originated from the Greek language and culture. It has its roots in the ancient Greek word "zēnos," which means "gift of Zeus" or "life." The name first gained prominence around the 5th century BCE in ancient Greece.
One of the earliest and most notable individuals to bear the name Zeno was the Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea, who lived from approximately 490 to 430 BCE. He was a renowned figure of the Eleatic school of philosophy and is credited with developing the paradoxes that challenged the concepts of motion and plurality.
Another famous Zeno was Zeno of Citium, who lived from around 334 to 262 BCE. He was the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy, which emphasized the virtues of reason, self-control, and acceptance of fate. His teachings had a significant influence on the development of Western philosophy.
In the early Christian era, the name Zeno gained popularity among the Byzantine aristocracy. One of the most notable figures was Zeno the Isaurian, who reigned as the Byzantine Emperor from 474 to 491 CE. He is credited with helping to stabilize the Eastern Roman Empire during a turbulent period.
During the Renaissance period, the name Zeno was associated with the Italian philosopher and humanist Zeno of Verona, who lived from 1368 to 1459. He was a renowned scholar and writer, and his works played a significant role in the revival of classical learning.
Another prominent figure with the name Zeno was the Italian mathematician and philosopher Zeno of Siena, who lived from 1668 to 1750. He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and logic, and his work influenced the development of modern calculus.
While the name Zeno has its origins in ancient Greece, it has been used across various cultures and throughout different historical periods. The individuals mentioned above are just a few examples of the many notable figures who have borne this name, each leaving their mark on the intellectual, philosophical, and cultural landscapes of their respective eras.
People
Zeno + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zeno 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
Zeno: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zeno?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 878 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zeno 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 390,381 US residents.
Is Zeno a common name?
We classify Zeno as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,438 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zeno most popular?
The single biggest year for Zeno was 2024, when 58 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zeno is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zeno a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zeno 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.
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.