Zion
Boy name · #142 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Zion? In official American birth records, Zion has been tracked continuously since 1917, giving it 108 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 2,496 baby boys were named Zion, placing it at #142 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #227, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 721 boys born in 2025 was named Zion.
Babies named Zion per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 108-year story
Zion first appears in the Social Security records in 1917, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 2,889 babies and a rank of #125. 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 Zion against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zion in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zion is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Zion is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zion is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Zion is most common in HI (4.8 per 1,000), NM (3.4 per 1,000), RI (3.2 per 1,000), NV (2.7 per 1,000), MD (2.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.7 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Zion is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Zion
Statistically, parents drawn to Zion tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Orion, Bryson, Jameson, Carson, and Jaxon.
OrionBrysonJamesonCarsonJaxonZaynGreysonEmerson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zion | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,496 | #142 |
| 2024 | 2,369 | #151 |
| 2023 | 2,889 | #125 |
| 2022 | 2,634 | #143 |
| 2021 | 2,769 | #136 |
| 2020 | 2,536 | #143 |
| 2019 | 2,551 | #153 |
| 2018 | 2,183 | #180 |
| 2017 | 1,978 | #199 |
| 2016 | 1,849 | #213 |
| 2015 | 1,694 | #227 |
| 2014 | 1,484 | #254 |
| 2013 | 1,531 | #236 |
| 2012 | 1,533 | #235 |
| 2011 | 1,456 | #245 |
| 2010 | 1,530 | #229 |
| 2009 | 1,473 | #240 |
| 2008 | 1,601 | #230 |
| 2007 | 1,553 | #234 |
| 2006 | 1,302 | #265 |
| 2005 | 1,120 | #293 |
| 2004 | 1,008 | #311 |
| 2003 | 879 | #329 |
| 2002 | 828 | #333 |
| 2001 | 867 | #324 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zion?
In official American birth records, the name Zion first appeared in 1917 (over 108 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 108 years.
Is Zion a popular boy name?
Zion ranked #142 among boys in 2025 with 2,496 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #227.
When was the name Zion most popular?
Zion peaked in 2023, when 2,889 American boys received the name (ranked #125 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Zion?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 721 newborn American boys was named Zion. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.