Zena
Girl name · #2440 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Zena? In official American birth records, Zena has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Zena is currently the #2440 girl name in the United States — 73 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2964, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 24,658 girls born in 2025 was named Zena.
The 145-year story
Zena first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1964, when 222 girls were named Zena — good for #689 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Zena per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zena against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zena in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zena is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zena will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zena is most common
State-level data for Zena 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 Zena
Statistically, parents drawn to Zena tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rena, Rina, Moira, Rana, and Martina.
RenaRinaMoiraRanaMartinaGalaMarlenaLorena
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zena | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 73 | #2438 |
| 2024 | 82 | #2265 |
| 2023 | 87 | #2176 |
| 2022 | 90 | #2123 |
| 2021 | 84 | #2212 |
| 2020 | 83 | #2170 |
| 2019 | 90 | #2090 |
| 2018 | 74 | #2419 |
| 2017 | 82 | #2268 |
| 2016 | 50 | #3229 |
| 2015 | 58 | #2964 |
| 2014 | 56 | #3005 |
| 2013 | 46 | #3404 |
| 2012 | 48 | #3364 |
| 2011 | 40 | #3781 |
| 2010 | 41 | #3745 |
| 2009 | 33 | #4482 |
| 2008 | 39 | #4006 |
| 2007 | 44 | #3653 |
| 2006 | 33 | #4358 |
| 2005 | 47 | #3257 |
| 2004 | 40 | #3631 |
| 2003 | 40 | #3532 |
| 2002 | 45 | #3146 |
| 2001 | 46 | #3046 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zena?
In official American birth records, the name Zena first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Zena a popular girl name?
Zena ranked #2440 among girls in 2025 with 73 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2964.
When was the name Zena most popular?
Zena peaked in 1964, when 222 American girls received the name (ranked #689 that year). Since 1964 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zena?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 24,658 newborn American girls was named Zena. 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.