Zidan
A masculine Arabic name meaning "increasing" or "prosperous".
Name Census estimates that about 495 living Americans carry the first name Zidan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zidan today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zidan births was 2017 (42 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zidan. 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 Zidan with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
495
~ 1 in 692,433 Americans
Peak year
2017
42 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,148
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Zidan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zidan 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 285 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zidan remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zidan 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 Zidan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zidans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Zidan, while Florida, Illinois, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 29 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zidan
The name Zidan has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "zidan," which means "increase" or "growth." This name was likely given to children with the hope that they would grow and thrive, both physically and spiritually.
In the early days of Islam, the name Zidan was relatively uncommon, but it gained popularity during the Golden Age of the Islamic Civilization, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century. During this period, many scholars, philosophers, and artists bore the name Zidan, contributing to the rich cultural heritage of the Arab world.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Zidan is found in the writings of the renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher, Al-Ghazali (1058-1111). He mentions a student named Zidan ibn Abi al-Qasim, who was known for his exceptional knowledge and piety.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Zidan. One of the most famous was Zidan al-Nasiri (1257-1325), a Moroccan historian and writer who authored a comprehensive history of the Marinid Dynasty that ruled in North Africa during the 13th and 14th centuries.
Another prominent figure was Zidan al-Baghdadi (1201-1283), a renowned Islamic scholar and theologian from Baghdad. He wrote extensively on various topics, including jurisprudence, theology, and philosophy, and his works were widely studied in the Islamic world.
In the realm of literature, Zidan ibn al-Mukhtar (1020-1087) was a renowned Arabic poet and writer from Spain. His poetry was celebrated for its beauty and eloquence, and he is considered one of the most influential poets of the Andalusian era.
Moving forward in time, Zidan al-Attar (1835-1914) was a prominent Lebanese writer and intellectual who played a significant role in the Nahda, the Arab Renaissance, of the 19th century. He advocated for educational and social reforms and was a strong proponent of women's rights.
Finally, Zidan al-Jaziri (1887-1965) was a Syrian scholar and jurist who made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence. His works on Islamic law and theology were widely studied and respected throughout the Muslim world.
People
Zidan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zidan 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
Zidan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zidan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 495 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zidan 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 692,433 US residents.
Is Zidan a common name?
We classify Zidan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 499 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zidan most popular?
The single biggest year for Zidan was 2017, when 42 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zidan is about 9 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 Zidan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zidan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zidan 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 Zidan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zidan 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 Zidan 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 are named Zidan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.