Zaya
Girl name · #1316 in 2025 · Uniqueness 62/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Zaya scores 62 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Zaya is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zaya is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Zayas were CA (26), FL (18), TX (18), MA (10), GA (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 62/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.