Zayed
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was an Emirati politician, philanthropist, and the founding father of the United Arab Emirates. Zayed served as the governor of Eastern Region from 1946 until he became the ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, and served as the first president of the United Arab Emirates from its independence on 2 December 1971 until his death in 2004.
Meaning & Origin of Zayed
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was an Emirati politician, philanthropist, and the founding father of the United Arab Emirates. Zayed served as the governor of Eastern Region from 1946 until he became the ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, and served as the first president of the United Arab Emirates from its independence on 2 December 1971 until his death in 2004.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Zayed
Zayed first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2000, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 33 Zayeds were born — ranking #3,372 that year. As of 2026, Zayed ranks #5,184 for baby boys with 19 births, falling sharply (-24%). In total, more than 414 Zayeds have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Zayed
Phonetically similar names — useful when Zayed is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Zayed
What does the name Zayed mean?
How popular is Zayed in 2026?
When was Zayed most popular?
In which U.S. states is Zayed most popular?
Is Zayed a unisex name?
What names go well with Zayed?
About the name Zayed
Zayed is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2000 and has accumulated 414 births in the dataset. Zayed's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #3,372. Use the chart and map above to compare Zayed's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2018 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "Z" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.