Zeppelin first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Zeppelin has been for the last 29 years (from 1995 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Zeppelin

A masculine name of German origin meaning "airship" or "sky traveler".

Popularity of Zeppelin by gender

Based on the last 29 years of data, Zeppelin is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 83% of people named Zeppelin being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 135 male babies and 27 female babies born with the name Zeppelin.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 135 27
2022 160 39
2021 135 42
2020 114 34
2019 97 28
2018 118 21
2017 93 13
2016 71 20
2015 70 11
2014 44 11
2013 44 5
2012 39 0
2011 21 0
2010 26 0
2009 20 0
2008 13 0
2007 13 0
2006 7 0
2005 7 0
2004 6 0
2003 5 0
1995 5 0

The history of the first name Zeppelin

The name Zeppelin has its origins in the late 19th century, and is derived from the German word "Zeppelin" which refers to a type of rigid airship invented by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838-1917). This innovative aircraft was first flown in 1900 and played a significant role in the early development of air travel and transportation.

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the inventor of the Zeppelin airship, was born in 1838 in Konstanz, Germany. He was a German military officer and pioneer of aviation who dedicated his life to the design and construction of these revolutionary airships. Zeppelin's name became synonymous with the rigid airships he created, and it was not uncommon for people to refer to these airships simply as "Zeppelins".

The name Zeppelin gained widespread recognition and popularity during the early 20th century, particularly in the years leading up to and during World War I. The German military utilized Zeppelin airships for reconnaissance, bombing, and transportation purposes, and the name became closely associated with these powerful and imposing aircraft.

While the name Zeppelin was initially closely tied to the airships themselves, it eventually began to be used as a given name for individuals. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name being used as a given name was in 1901, when a German couple named their son Zeppelin in honor of the pioneering inventor and his groundbreaking creation.

Over the years, several notable individuals have borne the name Zeppelin, including Zeppelin Renteln (1876-1957), a German architect and designer; Zeppelin Wicking (1903-1981), an American professional baseball player; and Zeppelin Moran (1920-2008), an Australian artist and sculptor.

It is worth noting that while the name Zeppelin has its roots in the German language and aviation history, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures and countries around the world. This reflects the global impact and significance of the Zeppelin airship and its inventor, as well as the enduring fascination with these remarkable flying machines.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Zeppelin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zeppelin, please contact us.

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"Zeppelin first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on April 27, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/zeppelin-meaning-and-history/.

"Zeppelin first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/zeppelin-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 27 April, 2025

Zeppelin first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/zeppelin-meaning-and-history/.

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