Zena
Feminine
Zena may be Zenobia shortened — the queen who took on Rome — or a Greek form of Zeus, or an Ethiopian word for news.
How old is the name Zena?
Zena was already in use when US birth records began in 1880 — it is at least 145 years old. The typical Zena alive today was born around 1975, making them about 50 years old. About 4,400 people named Zena are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Zena most popular?
Zena peaked in 1883, reaching #536 nationally. Today it ranks #2438, 1,902 places below that high. See the whole 1883 chart.
Lists built from the same records:
Where it comes from
Origin, sound and short forms
Our story of Zena
Our story of Zena is a story of four doors into one sound. Zenobia ruled Palmyra, took Egypt from Rome and was paraded through it in golden chains — her name means the life of Zeus. Greek Zenon comes from the same god. Amharic zena means news. And Xena arrived from television in 1995. American families writing Zena may have come through any of them.
Meaningscholars disagree
Not established
Several routes. A short form of Zenobia, 'life of Zeus'. A form of the Greek Zenon, from Zeus. An Amharic zena, 'news' or 'fame'. Or a respelling of Xena. None is established for American use. Each source is genuine.
Pronouncing Zena
ZEE-nah
Two syllables, stress on the first. Amharic Zena is ZEH-nah.
Nicknames for Zena
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1880
- Most girls named
- 1963213 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #536reached in 1883
- Change vs 2022
- −18.9%73 in 2025, from 90
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Zena in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- Xena in English — spelling variant
- Zena in Amharic — related form
- Zenobia in Greek — related form
Strongest US states over the last decade: California, Texas, New York.
Zenas among us
people named Zena are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 girl in 22,017 born in 2025 was named Zena
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Spellings of Zena
- #2438
- Zena on the 2025 chart
- #845
- counting every spelling
The SSA counts spellings, not names. Zena went to 73 girls in 2025, but Zeena, Zenna and Zenah are the same name said out loud. Together the 4 spellings went to 115, which makes it the 845th most-given girls’ name of the year — 1,593 places above the chart.
About 1 girl in 13,976 born in 2025 was given one of these spellings — against 1 in 22,017 for Zena itself.
Spellings are grouped by a fixed rule that folds interchangeable English spellings of one sound (ck/k, ph/f, x/ks, a non-initial y for i) and keeps vowels apart, so Sean and Shawn stay separate names. It errs towards splitting: a family here is never larger than the truth. SSA national data, 2025. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
Fashion outlook
Zena sits in the calm middle of the cycle — neither chasing a wave nor sliding off one. Middle-of-the-cycle names age slowly and predictably.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Zena is headed
Zena should hold steady through 2030 — the curve is flat, and flat curves are the most predictable kind.
Medium confidence — fitted on official counts through 2025.
A damped-trend projection of the official birth data — a sketch of momentum, not a promise. Every name's forecast, ranked.
Zena beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Zena in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US girls given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- Zenobia taking Egypt from Rome is a first-rate historical bearer.
- Zee is available as a short form with real use.
- Two clean syllables with no pronunciation risk.
- No single origin is established.
- One television series is a strong association.
- Xena and Zena are both in circulation.
Nobody names a baby alone.
Put Zena to the vote.
Add it to a family vote or a couple’s swipe deck — the other person gets one card, a simple answer and room to say why. No app, no account for them.
Only the people you invite can see your list.
Already decided on Zena? Hide it among decoys and let them guess.
What they receive
Someone added a name to your list
Zena
Feminine · #2438 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Zenas are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 4,400 people named Zena are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How do you spell Zena?
- Zena is the most-used spelling in US records — 73 of the 115 babies given the name in 2025. The others recorded are Zeena, Zenna and Zenah.
- How popular is the name Zena in 2025?
- Zena ranks #2438 among US girl names in 2025, with 73 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Zena?
- About 1 in every 22,017 US girls born in 2025 was named Zena — 73 in all.
- Will my child share the name Zena with classmates?
- Zena will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Zena
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Saniya#2438 · Rorie#2438 · Ellia#2438 · Tamar#2438 · Amaira#2438 · Amaryllis#2438 · Mable#2438 · Geraldine#2438
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Zena? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Zena and another name?
See them side by side — full stats, history and a gentle verdict.
Compare side by sideIn a hurry? Just pick a winner — one tap, no sign-up, and you see how everyone else voted.
Weighing a whole shortlist? Add the rest in the builder, or settle it with a bracket.
Cast your vote
Which one would you pick?
Your gut first, the numbers after — the split shows once you pick.
US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
No advertising trackers and no data sellinghow we handle your dataindependent and founder-run, about Name Battle