Zaya
Girl name · #1316 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Zaya? In official American birth records, Zaya has been tracked continuously since 1994, giving it 31 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 170 baby girls were named Zaya, placing it at #1316 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2138, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,588 girls born in 2025 was named Zaya.
Babies named Zaya per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 31-year story
Zaya first appears in the Social Security records in 1994, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 207 babies and a rank of #1164. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zaya against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zaya in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zaya is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zaya will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zaya is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zaya is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Zaya is most common in MA (0.4 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Zaya is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Zaya
Statistically, parents drawn to Zaya tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zendaya, Avaya, Laya, Haya, and Araya.
ZendayaAvayaLayaHayaArayaZalayaNayaZoya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zaya | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 170 | #1309 |
| 2024 | 157 | #1420 |
| 2023 | 207 | #1164 |
| 2022 | 187 | #1279 |
| 2021 | 166 | #1337 |
| 2020 | 155 | #1412 |
| 2019 | 155 | #1436 |
| 2018 | 162 | #1386 |
| 2017 | 198 | #1210 |
| 2016 | 183 | #1307 |
| 2015 | 89 | #2138 |
| 2014 | 120 | #1736 |
| 2013 | 135 | #1587 |
| 2012 | 118 | #1744 |
| 2011 | 37 | #3999 |
| 2010 | 41 | #3745 |
| 2009 | 27 | #5226 |
| 2008 | 26 | #5434 |
| 2007 | 25 | #5526 |
| 2006 | 26 | #5233 |
| 2005 | 25 | #5113 |
| 2004 | 21 | #5744 |
| 2003 | 19 | #6055 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7045 |
| 2001 | 16 | #6619 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zaya?
In official American birth records, the name Zaya first appeared in 1994 (over 31 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 31 years.
Is Zaya a popular girl name?
Zaya ranked #1316 among girls in 2025 with 170 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2138.
When was the name Zaya most popular?
Zaya peaked in 2023, when 207 American girls received the name (ranked #1164 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Zaya?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,588 newborn American girls was named Zaya. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.