Zebedee
Zebedee, according to the synoptic gospels, was the father of James and John, two apostles of Jesus. The gospels also suggest that He was the husband of Salome; whereas Mark 15:40 names the women present at the crucifixion as "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and of Joses, and Salome," the parallel passage in Matthew 27:56 has "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses,…
Meaning & Origin of Zebedee
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Zebedee, according to the synoptic gospels, was the father of James and John, two apostles of Jesus. The gospels also suggest that He was the husband of Salome; whereas Mark 15:40 names the women present at the crucifixion as "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and of Joses, and Salome," the parallel passage in Matthew 27:56 has "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses,…
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Zebedee
Zebedee first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1907, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 43 Zebedees were born — ranking #2,944 that year. As of 2026, Zebedee ranks #2,944 for baby boys with 43 births, rising sharply (+222% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Zebedees have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Zebedee
Phonetically similar names — useful when Zebedee 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 Zebedee
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About the name Zebedee
Zebedee is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1907 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Zebedee's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #1,094. Use the chart and map above to compare Zebedee's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
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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.