Zoilo
A masculine name of Spanish origin meaning "jealous" or "envious".
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Zoilo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zoilo today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zoilo births was 1986 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zoilo. 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 Zoilo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
1986
5 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2006 SSA rank
#14,031
Tracked since 1986
Popularity
Zoilo: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zoilo from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zoilo 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 Zoilo 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 Zoilo
The name Zoilo is of Greek origin, derived from the word "zoilos," which means "fault-finder" or "critic." It dates back to ancient Greece and was initially used as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone who was overly critical or inclined to find faults in others.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zoilo can be found in ancient Greek literature. Zoilos of Amphipolis, a Greek grammarian and literary critic from the 4th century BC, was known for his harsh criticisms of Homer's works. He earned the nickname "Homeromastix" (scourge of Homer) for his scathing remarks about the legendary poet's works.
During the Byzantine era, the name Zoilo was used sparingly but not entirely uncommon. Saint Zoilos, a Christian martyr from the 4th century AD, was venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church for his unwavering faith and martyrdom during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian.
In the Renaissance period, the name Zoilo resurfaced in Italy, particularly in the works of Italian humanists and scholars. Zoilo Consiglieri, an Italian scholar and diplomat from the 15th century, was known for his diplomatic missions and his contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature.
One of the most notable figures in history with the name Zoilo was Zoilo Galindez, a Spanish explorer and conquistador from the 16th century. He accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico and participated in the conquest of the Aztec Empire. Galindez played a crucial role in establishing Spanish control over the region and was later appointed as the governor of a province in New Spain.
Another historical figure with the name Zoilo was Zoilo Caicedo, a Colombian military leader and politician from the 19th century. He played a significant role in the fight for Colombian independence from Spain and later served as the president of the State of Cauca, one of the constituent states of the Republic of New Granada (modern-day Colombia and Panama).
Throughout history, the name Zoilo has been relatively uncommon, but it has left its mark in various cultures and contexts. While it may have originated as a descriptive term for a critical or fault-finding individual, it has also been associated with notable figures who have made significant contributions in various fields, from literature and religion to exploration and politics.
People
Zoilo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zoilo 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
Zoilo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zoilo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zoilo 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 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Zoilo a common name?
We classify Zoilo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zoilo most popular?
The single biggest year for Zoilo was 1986, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zoilo is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zoilo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zoilo 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.
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.