Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874 and developed in detail in 1893. They were patented in Germany in 1895 and in the United States in 1899.
Meaning & Origin of Zeppelin
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874 and developed in detail in 1893. They were patented in Germany in 1895 and in the United States in 1899.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Zeppelin
As a girl name
Zeppelin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2013, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 42 births, good for #3,610 nationwide. About 66% of every Zeppelin on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Zeppelin ranks #5,702 for girls with 22 births, holding steady (-2%). All told, over 320 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2010s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Zeppelin on the record books as a boy name in 1995, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 161 Zeppelins were born — ranking #1,219 that year. About 58% of every Zeppelin on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Zeppelin ranks #1,328 for boys with 145 births, rising sharply (+28% over the past five years). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Zeppelin
Phonetically similar names — useful when Zeppelin 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 Zeppelin
What does the name Zeppelin mean?
How popular is Zeppelin in 2026?
When was Zeppelin most popular?
In which U.S. states is Zeppelin most popular?
Is Zeppelin a unisex name?
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About the name Zeppelin
Zeppelin is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Zeppelin's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #1,219. Use the chart and map above to compare Zeppelin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "Z" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.