Zhoe
Of Ukrainian origin, meaning "a person who lives or comes from the riverside."
Name Census estimates that about 163 living Americans carry the first name Zhoe. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zhoe today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zhoe births was 2011 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zhoe. 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
163
~ 1 in 2,102,787 Americans
Peak year
2011
19 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,412
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Zhoe: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zhoe from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 107 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zhoe 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 Zhoe 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 Zhoe
The name Zhoe has its origins in the ancient Sumerian civilization, one of the earliest known urban societies, which emerged in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500-3000 BCE. It is believed to have been derived from the Sumerian word "zhe," which means "life" or "to live." The name was initially associated with fertility and the celebration of new life.
In the later Akkadian period (circa 2350-2150 BCE), the name Zhoe underwent a slight transformation, becoming "Zhoa" or "Zhowa." It was often bestowed upon children born during the spring season, symbolizing the renewal of life and the bounty of the land. Archeological evidence suggests that variations of this name were also found in cuneiform inscriptions on clay tablets from this era.
The name Zhoe gained wider recognition during the Hellenistic period, when it was adopted by the Greeks and spread throughout the ancient Mediterranean world. One notable individual who bore this name was Zhoe of Byzantium, a renowned philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 5th century BCE. She is credited with making significant contributions to the fields of geometry and astronomy.
In the early centuries of the Common Era, the name Zhoe was embraced by various Christian communities. It was associated with the Greek word "zoe," meaning "life," and was often given to children as a symbol of the eternal life promised by their faith. One prominent figure who carried this name was Zhoe Karbonopsina, a Byzantine empress who ruled from 1028 to 1050 CE.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Zhoe remained popular across Europe, particularly in regions with Greek cultural influences. One notable bearer of this name was Zhoe Porphyrogenita, a princess of the Byzantine Empire who lived in the 11th century CE. She was renowned for her literary talents and patronage of the arts.
During the Renaissance, the name Zhoe experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in Italy and other parts of Europe. One famous individual who bore this name was Zhoe Belvidera, an Italian painter and sculptor who lived in the 16th century CE. Her works were highly regarded for their attention to detail and realistic portrayals of human subjects.
As the name Zhoe spread across different cultures and regions, it underwent various spellings and pronunciations. However, its core meaning, rooted in the celebration of life and vitality, has remained a consistent theme throughout its long and storied history.
People
Zhoe + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zhoe 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
Zhoe: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zhoe?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 163 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zhoe 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 2,102,787 US residents.
Is Zhoe a common name?
We classify Zhoe as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 164 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zhoe most popular?
The single biggest year for Zhoe was 2011, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zhoe is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zhoe a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zhoe 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.
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.