Zeal
Boy name · #3741 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Zeal? In official American birth records, Zeal has been tracked continuously since 2006, giving it 19 years of documented American history.
Zeal ranks #3741 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 30 newborns given the name that year. It has appeared in the national data since 2006. Roughly one in every 60,000 boys born in 2025 was named Zeal.
Babies named Zeal per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 19-year story
Zeal first appears in the Social Security records in 2006, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 30 babies and a rank of #3658. 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 Zeal against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zeal in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zeal is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zeal will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zeal is most common
State-level data for Zeal is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Zeal
Statistically, parents drawn to Zeal tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zyel, Nihaal, Zay, Zael, and Azul.
ZyelNihaalZayZaelAzulZadkielKaielZuko
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zeal | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | #3658 |
| 2024 | 25 | #4200 |
| 2023 | 21 | #4742 |
| 2022 | 12 | #6828 |
| 2021 | 11 | #7089 |
| 2020 | 10 | #7502 |
| 2019 | 14 | #6104 |
| 2018 | 8 | #8819 |
| 2016 | 9 | #8146 |
| 2014 | 11 | #7048 |
| 2013 | 6 | #10728 |
| 2010 | 6 | #10766 |
| 2009 | 6 | #10994 |
| 2006 | 6 | #10662 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zeal?
In official American birth records, the name Zeal first appeared in 2006 (over 19 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 19 years.
Is Zeal a popular boy name?
Zeal ranked #3741 among boys in 2025 with 30 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked outside the reported range.
When was the name Zeal most popular?
Zeal peaked in 2025, when 30 American boys received the name (ranked #3658 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Zeal?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 60,000 newborn American boys was named Zeal. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.