Zenus
An invented name potentially inspired by the Greek god Zeus.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Zenus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zenus today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zenus births was 1913 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zenus. 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 Zenus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1913
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1913 SSA rank
#3,261
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Zenus: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zenus 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 Zenus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zenus
The name Zenus traces its origins to ancient Greek civilization, derived from the word "zeno," which means "gift of life" or "gift from the gods." This name was commonly used during the classical period in Greece, particularly among the philosophers and intellectuals of that era.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Zenus can be found in the works of the renowned Greek philosopher Zeno of Citium, who lived from approximately 334 to 262 BCE. He was the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy and his teachings had a profound impact on the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the realm of mythology, Zenus was also the name of a minor deity in Greek mythology, often associated with the personification of hospitality and welcoming guests. This connection to the concept of hospitality may have contributed to the popularity of the name among the ancient Greeks.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Zenus. One such individual was Zenus of Sidon, a Greek philosopher who lived in the 2nd century BCE and was a student of the Stoic philosopher Diogenes of Babylon. Another prominent figure was Zenus of Tarsus, a grammarian and philosopher who lived in the 1st century BCE and wrote extensively on the subject of language and rhetoric.
In the realm of literature, Zenus was the name of a character in the ancient Greek novel "Daphnis and Chloe," written by the 2nd-century novelist Longus. This fictional character played a significant role in the narrative, further cementing the name's place in Greek cultural heritage.
Moving forward in time, the name Zenus also appears in the historical records of the Byzantine Empire. One notable figure was Zenus of Constantinople, a high-ranking official and diplomat who lived during the 11th century and served under the Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.
While the name Zenus has its roots in ancient Greece, it has been adopted and used in various cultures throughout history. For example, there was a Zenus of Avranches, a Frankish scholar and theologian who lived in the 11th century and made significant contributions to the field of canon law.
People
Zenus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zenus 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
Zenus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zenus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zenus 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 Zenus a common name?
We classify Zenus 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 Zenus most popular?
The single biggest year for Zenus was 1913, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zenus 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 Zenus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zenus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zenus 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 Zenus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zenus 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 Zenus 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 Zenus?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Zenus at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.