Zooey
Zooey was the 13199th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 7 babies. Its best year was 2012, when it ranked 1250th with 194 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 10,849 places. More babies were named Zooey in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Zoe) life · Ancient Greek
- Rank in 2025
- #13,199 girls, down 7,534 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 7girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2012194 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,106babies recorded
What does the name Zooey mean?
Zooey is a spelling of Zoe, pronounced the same way, so it shares Zoe's meaning and origin.
Zoe is the Greek word for life. Wikipedia notes that Greek-speaking Jews used it as a rendering of Eve, whose Hebrew name was linked with life, and that early Christian martyrs bore it. Zoey is a common American spelling.
ζωή (Ancient Greek, “life”)
How sure is this? Well established.
See also: Greek names.
Zooey popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,199 | 7 |
| 2020 | #5,665 | 22 |
| 2010 | #1,991 | 101 |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Zooey, counting every spelling?
Zooey is a spelling of Zoe, a name family that ranked #11 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #13,199 for Zooey on its own. Together these spellings went to 9,089 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoe | 5,646 | #31 | 26,330 |
| Zoey | 3,427 | #69 | 20,834 |
| Zooey | 7 | #13,199 | 77 |
| Zoeh | 9 | #10,912 | 26 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Zooey?
7 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Zooey (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Zooey born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1,224 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Zooey.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Zooey?
About 1,100 people born in the US named Zooey are alive today, with a median age of 13; half are between 10 and 15. That makes Zooey mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Zooey by state
How common Zooey was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 50 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Zooey: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Zooey, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Zooey
What does Zooey mean?
Zooey is a spelling of Zoe, which means “life” (Ancient Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Zooey?
Zooey was the 13199th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 7 babies. Its best year was 2012, when it ranked 1250th with 194 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 10,849 places. More babies were named Zooey in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Zooey a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Zooey in the US.
Where is Zooey most popular?
In 2021–2025, Zooey was most common in California (0.01 per 1,000 girls).