Ziana
A feminine Persian name derived from the word "ziyan" meaning lovely or beautiful.
Name Census estimates that about 561 living Americans carry the first name Ziana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ziana today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ziana births was 2021 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ziana. 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
561
~ 1 in 610,970 Americans
Peak year
2021
36 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,773
Tracked since 1994
Popularity
Ziana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ziana 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 227 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Ziana remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ziana 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 Ziana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zianas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Ziana, while New York, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ziana
The name Ziana has its roots in the Persian language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is believed to be derived from the Old Persian word "ziya," which means "light" or "radiance." The name was particularly popular among the Zoroastrian community, who revered light as a sacred symbol of divine wisdom and knowledge.
In the ancient Persian tradition, names were often chosen based on their symbolic meanings and auspicious associations. Ziana was seen as a fortunate and auspicious name, representing the hope of a bright and illuminated life for the child bearing it. The name's connection to light also carried connotations of purity, clarity, and enlightenment.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ziana can be found in the ancient Persian epic poem, the Shahnameh, composed by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. In the epic, Ziana is mentioned as the name of a beautiful and virtuous princess, reflecting the positive associations and reverence for the name during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ziana. One of the earliest was Ziana, a Persian princess who lived in the 6th century AD during the Sassanid Empire. She was renowned for her intelligence, courage, and advocacy for women's rights, and is celebrated as an important figure in Persian history.
Another famous Ziana was Ziana Banu, a 13th-century Persian poet and mystic who was highly regarded for her spiritual and literary works. Her poetry often explored themes of love, devotion, and the divine, reflecting the cultural and religious influences of her time.
In the 16th century, Ziana Begum was a prominent figure in the Mughal Empire, known for her philanthropic endeavors and patronage of the arts. She was a skilled calligrapher and supported the construction of several notable architectural landmarks, including mosques and educational institutions.
During the 19th century, Ziana Mirza was a renowned Persian painter and artist, celebrated for her intricate miniature paintings and illustrations that captured the rich cultural heritage of her homeland.
In more recent times, Ziana Zain, a 20th-century Afghan writer and activist, has been recognized for her contributions to promoting women's rights and education in Afghanistan. Her literary works and advocacy efforts have left a lasting impact on the country's cultural and social landscape.
People
Ziana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ziana 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
Ziana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ziana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 561 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ziana 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 610,970 US residents.
Is Ziana a common name?
We classify Ziana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 567 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ziana most popular?
The single biggest year for Ziana was 2021, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ziana is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ziana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ziana 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.