Zeriyah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "splendid" or "dazzling".
Name Census estimates that about 95 living Americans carry the first name Zeriyah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zeriyah today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zeriyah births was 2015 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zeriyah. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Zeriyah with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Zeriyah. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
95
~ 1 in 3,607,940 Americans
Peak year
2015
12 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,510
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Zeriyah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zeriyah from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 60 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zeriyah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zeriyah 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 Zeriyah 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 Zeriyah
The name Zeriyah has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, believed to have emerged during the ancient biblical times. It is derived from the Hebrew word "zera," which means "seed" or "offspring." This name carries a symbolic meaning associated with fertility, growth, and new beginnings.
In the Old Testament of the Bible, the concept of "zera" is often used to refer to the promised lineage or descendants. The name Zeriyah may have been given to children as a reflection of this biblical symbolism, representing the hope for a fruitful family and a continuation of one's legacy.
While the name Zeriyah is not explicitly mentioned in ancient religious texts or historical records, its root word "zera" is found throughout the Hebrew Bible, often in the context of God's promises to Abraham and his descendants. The name may have emerged as a variation or combination of this root word and other Hebrew names or suffixes.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Zeriyah can be traced back to the 17th century. Zeriyah ben Yaakov, a prominent Hebrew scholar and Kabbalist, lived in the city of Fez, Morocco, in the mid-1600s. He authored several works on Jewish mysticism and philosophy, contributing to the intellectual and spiritual discourse of his time.
In more recent history, Zeriyah Abrams (1888-1977) was an American educator and civil rights activist from Mississippi. She dedicated her life to promoting equal educational opportunities for African American students and played a pivotal role in desegregating public schools in her state.
Another notable figure was Zeriyah Abrahams (1913-2001), a South African artist and sculptor. She was known for her works depicting African culture and themes, often using materials like wood, stone, and clay. Her art was widely exhibited and celebrated both in South Africa and internationally.
In the field of literature, Zeriyah Shaheed (1925-2008) was a renowned African American poet and writer. Her works explored themes of identity, social justice, and the experience of black women in America. She published several poetry collections and was an influential figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
Zeriyah Haddad (1926-2016) was a Lebanese-born artist and calligrapher who gained recognition for her intricate Arabic calligraphy works. Her art aimed to bridge traditional Islamic art forms with contemporary styles, showcasing the beauty and versatility of Arabic script.
While these examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have borne the name Zeriyah throughout history, the name's origins and symbolic meaning remain rooted in the rich cultural heritage of the Hebrew language and the biblical concept of "zera."
People
Zeriyah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zeriyah 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
Zeriyah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zeriyah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 95 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zeriyah 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 3,607,940 US residents.
Is Zeriyah a common name?
We classify Zeriyah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 63.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 96 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zeriyah most popular?
The single biggest year for Zeriyah was 2015, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zeriyah is about 10 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 Zeriyah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zeriyah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zeriyah in the SSA data are female. 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 Zeriyah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zeriyah 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 Zeriyah 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 have Zeriyah as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.