The last letter of the alphabet may not be the first letter that comes to mind when thinking of names for a baby boy, but why not give it a shot? While Zack, Zachary, and Zeke are Z names we’re all familiar with, we were surprised to find a good amount of Z-starting names across many cultures.
For parents looking for a unique name for their son, Z is definitely an awesome letter. All the names starting with Z give off that cool-kid-who-will-one-day-be-a-cool-guy vibe. So here we’ve gathered 18 of the most adorable baby boy names that start with a Z and we hope they provide some inspiration!
ZENO
Zeno a strong name that is the common anglicized form of the name Zenon (Greek), and derived from Zeus, king of the Greek gods. The ‘o’ at the end gives the name a cheerful sound. In Italian, Zeno means “the man who seeks,” “newcomer,” or “stanger.” In Japanese, Zeno means “momentum.” Other forms of the given name include Zénon (French) and Zenón (Spanish). Ancient philosopher Zeno of Citium was the founder of the Stoic school of thought. This name can also be spelled Zino.
ZURIEL
Another quirky Z name with a strong meaning is Zuriel. With Hebrew origins, it means "God is my rock." It’s a biblical name from the Old Testament — Zuriel was a Levite and chief of the Merari clans during the Exodus. Zuriel loves to run, move around, and can be withdrawn at times and theatrical at others — maybe he’s an athlete?
ZIAD
Ziad is an Arabic name, used by Muslims and Christians alike, but it is known to have special religious significance for some Muslims. The name means “abundance,” “growth,” and “greater.” It can also be spelled Ziyad, Zyad, or Zeyad.
ZANE
Also spelled Zayn, this name may sound familiar to those up on the life of supermodel Gigi Hadid and a former (or continued) One Direction music fan. Gigi and boyfriend Zayn Malik are new parents to a little girl. In Arabic, usually spelled Zayne, it means “rose” or “visitor.” Spelled Zain in Swahili it means “flourishing,” “well-born,” and “noble.”
ZOILO
Zoilo is a name of Spanish and Greek origin meaning “he who triumphs.” Zoilo is likely a passionate and emotional person who truly builds his life according to a plan. He’s a strong friend with undeniable flair. Pronounced ZOY-LO, his will to succeed makes him always triumphant.
ZUKO
This name may bring to mind John Travolta’s Grease character, Danny Zuko, but this Zuko is a Xhosa (the second most common language in South Africa) name meaning “glory,” “harmony,“ and “with a good heart.” Pronounced ZOO-KO, it’s a powerful name. Prince Zuko is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. In Chinese, the name means “loved one.”
ZOSIMO
If parents think they'll be having an extroverted baby boy, Zosimo might be the name to choose. Italian meaning “he who rides horses,” he’s likely to be sociable, self-confident, dynamic, and analytical. He’s probably affectionate as well, so be prepared for lots of hugs.
ZARON
This name reminds us of the name Aaron. Zaron is an Arabic name (sometimes used in Spanish) meaning “sunlight,” “visitor,” or “wisdom.” This name lends itself to someone with a gentle and romantic nature. This name reached peak popularity in 2011, according to BabyCenter.com, so it might be cool to bring it back.
ZION
This name was pretty obscure, but Zion has been one of the more popular Z names for just over the past 20 years. In 1997, the name really took off after former Fugees member Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley (Bob Marley’s son) chose it for their first son. “To Zion,” was the 1998 song Lauryn wrote to introduce her son to the world. In the Bible, Zion (rhymes with “lion”) is a term for the promised land. In Hebrew the pronunciation is TZEE-YOON and it means “highest point.” In Rastafarian culture, Zion refers to a utopia. Fun Fact: Zion David Marley (now 23) is dad to a son with a Z name: Zephaniah.
ZIAN
Similar in spelling to Zion, Zian is a Chinese name meaning “self peace” or “soul at peace.” It can also be spelled Xian. In Arabic, Ziyan, pronounced ZEE-AN means “adornment” or “decoration.” Spelled Zayan in Arabic, pronounced ZAY-AN the name means "beautiful" or "hospitality."
ZIKOMO
Here’s a way to say “thank you” every day. The sweet name Zikomo is of African origin from the Chewa language which is spoken in southern, southeast, and East Africa. Zikomo is the word to welcome someone, so giving a boy this name will start him off with great manners! We can imagine him having the nickname Zik (pronounced ZEEK) or Komo.
ZANDER
While this is a more well-known Z name, it’s usually spelled Xander, but we think this Z version is pretty cool and modern, too! It’s a shortened spelling of Alexander, but Zander, meaning “defender of men,” stands strong on its own. And yes, the meaning is influenced by Alexander the Great, the legendary warrior who protected the Macedonian Empire in the fourth century BC.
ZADE
This name kept popping up for us and we just couldn’t ignore it because Zade sounds cute and looks cute written out. There’s no known meaning, but that’s OK. It’s definitely a modern and current-feeling name. Zade is an invented name that NameBerry described as the “someone who is stylish,” and “the brother of Cade and Slade.”
ZIMRI
This little guy will go for what he wants with great vigor. Zimri means "my praise" or "my music" in Hebrew. This is the name of a king of Israel in the Old Testament. He ruled for only seven days, when he was succeeded by the commander of the army Omri. It’s also a Native American (Hopi tribe) meaning “spin.” Another meaning of the name which we love is “protected," “sacred,” and “he who passes.”
ZIGGY
This may be the coolest of the cool Z names for boys. Ziggy is of German origin and is a nickname for Siegfried and Sigmund. Parents may have heard of Ziggy Stardust who was the legendary David Bowie’s alter ego. Musician David Nesta “Ziggy” Marley was given the nickname Ziggy by his father reggae music icon Bob Marley after a soccer "zigged" and hit him. In 2002, Evan Ross and Ashley Simpson Ross named their youngest son Ziggy.
ZAIRE
Zaire is a bold and strong name used chiefly in the English language, and it is derived from Arabic and African origins. An African place name — Zaire was the former name of the Democratic Republic of Congo — it comes from an ancient Kongo Empire term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers." From African roots, its meaning is river (Zaire was a past name for the Congo River). In addition, Zaire is a variant of the name Zahir (Arabic, Hebrew, Swahili, and Turkish). It’s pronounced ZAI-EER.
ZEVI
This is a great Hebrew name meaning “gazelle” or “glory.” Pronounced ZEH-VEE, it’s mainly used in Hebrew-speaking countries, but can be found in other countries and languages worldwide. We’ve also seen Zevi defined as “my wolf.” Zevin is a one-letter-longer variation, as well as Zev which in Uganda means “older twin.” Or, try Zeev or Ze’ev which also means “a prince.”
ZIVEN
Ziven is a spirited name used in many cultures. In the Native American Sioux tribe it means “red bird” or “cardinal.” For Hindu people, Ziven means “vigorous” and “full of life.” For Polish, Russian, and Slavic people, the name similarly means “lively.” A variation of this name is achieved by changing the “e” to an “o.” Zivon also has a great meaning in Czech — “live well.”
