Is Zen a boy or girl name?
Zen is mostly a boy name in the US. In 2024, 41 girls and 236 boys were named Zen, so 14.8% were girls. Across 1880–2024, 17.9% of the 3,080 US babies named Zen were girls.
- Boy rank, 2024
- #959
- Girl rank, 2024
- #3,745
- Babies named Zen since 1969
- 3,080
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 320 babies
Boys and girls named Zen, by decade
| Decade | Boys | Girls | Share girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980s | 11 | 0 | 0% |
| 1990s | 152 | 5 | 3.2% |
| 2000s | 492 | 72 | 12.8% |
| 2010s | 811 | 209 | 20.5% |
| 2020s | 1,057 | 266 | 20.1% |
Every year
| Year | Boys | Boy rank | Girls | Girl rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 236 | #959 | 41 | #3,745 |
| 2023 | 242 | #935 | 60 | #2,849 |
| 2022 | 255 | #907 | 65 | #2,687 |
| 2021 | 164 | #1,196 | 52 | #3,152 |
| 2020 | 160 | #1,199 | 48 | #3,277 |
| 2019 | 128 | #1,393 | 46 | #3,449 |
| 2018 | 112 | #1,529 | 30 | #4,656 |
| 2017 | 92 | #1,716 | 24 | #5,513 |
| 2016 | 74 | #1,973 | 25 | #5,441 |
| 2015 | 75 | #1,953 | 23 | #5,825 |
| 2014 | 88 | #1,728 | 11 | #10,117 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2,138 | 9 | #11,955 |
| 2012 | 56 | #2,324 | 15 | #8,204 |
| 2011 | 63 | #2,128 | 13 | #9,138 |
| 2010 | 60 | #2,211 | 13 | #9,220 |
| 2009 | 70 | #2,009 | 9 | #12,416 |
| 2008 | 74 | #1,946 | 8 | #13,813 |
| 2007 | 52 | #2,472 | 22 | #6,320 |
| 2006 | 51 | #2,448 | 6 | #17,139 |
| 2005 | 50 | #2,364 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 51 | #2,282 | 10 | #10,685 |
| 2003 | 38 | #2,673 | 5 | #18,408 |
| 2002 | 36 | #2,684 | 6 | #15,414 |
| 2001 | 38 | #2,561 | 0 | – |
| 2000 | 32 | #2,863 | 6 | #15,020 |
| 1999 | 31 | #2,793 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 32 | #2,650 | 5 | #16,584 |
| 1997 | 12 | #5,285 | 0 | – |
| 1996 | 17 | #4,020 | 0 | – |
| 1995 | 15 | #4,278 | 0 | – |
| 1994 | 10 | #5,865 | 0 | – |
| 1993 | 12 | #5,002 | 0 | – |
| 1992 | 7 | #7,417 | 0 | – |
| 1991 | 6 | #8,231 | 0 | – |
| 1990 | 10 | #5,379 | 0 | – |
| 1989 | 5 | #9,229 | 0 | – |
| 1988 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1987 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1986 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1985 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1984 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1983 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1982 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1981 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1980 | 6 | #6,243 | 0 | – |
| 1979 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1978 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1977 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1976 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1975 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1974 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1973 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1972 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1971 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1970 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
| 1969 | 5 | #5,041 | 0 | – |
Highest rank
As a boy name, Zen reached #907 in 2022. As a girl name, it reached #2,687 in 2022. Ranks count every name SSA published for that year and sex, so they go well past the top 1,000.
Names from the same era
These names were also most popular in the 2020s, with a similar number of babies. They can work as sibling or middle names that feel like they belong together.
Names spelled like Zen
Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2024. Counts are Social Security card applications for US births; SSA leaves out names given to fewer than 5 babies in a year. Updated 2026-10-05. How these numbers are made.