Zidon
A name of Hebrew origin meaning "fishing town" or "fishery".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Zidon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zidon today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zidon births was 2015 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zidon. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Zidon. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2015
7 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2018 SSA rank
#14,090
Tracked since 2015
Popularity
Zidon: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zidon 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 Zidon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zidon
The name Zidon finds its origins in the ancient Phoenician city of Sidon, located in present-day Lebanon. This coastal city, one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, was a prominent center of trade and commerce in the ancient Mediterranean world. The name Zidon is derived from the Phoenician word "Ṣidōn," which means "fishery" or "fishing town."
In the Bible, Zidon is mentioned numerous times, often in reference to the Phoenician city and its inhabitants. The city is first mentioned in Genesis 10:19, where it is listed among the cities of Canaan. It is also mentioned in the Book of Judges, where it is described as a stronghold of the Sidonians.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Zidon was a Phoenician prince who lived in the 9th century BC. He is mentioned in the Assyrian annals of Shalmaneser III, where he is described as a ruler of Sidon.
In the 4th century BC, a Phoenician explorer named Zidon is said to have accompanied Alexander the Great on his conquests. While little is known about this individual, his name has been recorded in some historical accounts of Alexander's campaigns.
During the Byzantine Empire, a monk named Zidon of Antioch (c. 490-570) gained prominence as a writer and theologian. He is best known for his works on the interpretation of the Bible and his contributions to the field of exegesis.
In the 12th century, a Jewish scholar and philosopher named Zidon ben Abraham (c. 1115-1186) made significant contributions to the study of Talmudic literature and Jewish philosophy. His works were widely studied and influential in his time.
Another notable figure with the name Zidon was a 16th-century Ottoman architect and engineer named Zidon Pasha (c. 1520-1580). He was responsible for the construction of several important architectural works, including mosques and bridges, in various parts of the Ottoman Empire.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Zidon, reflecting its roots in the ancient Phoenician city and its enduring legacy across different cultures and time periods.
People
Zidon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zidon 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
Zidon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zidon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zidon 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Zidon a common name?
We classify Zidon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zidon most popular?
The single biggest year for Zidon was 2015, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zidon 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 Zidon in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zidon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zidon 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 Zidon still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zidon 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 Zidon 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 Zidon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.