Zion
Zion is a given name and surname derived from the ancient Canaanite hill fortress in Jerusalem called the City of David. It is less commonly spelled Sion, Tzion, Tsion, Tsiyon, Seyon, or Tsiyyon. In Hebrew Zion is one of the 70 Names of Jerusalem. It is of Old English, Greek, and Hebrew origins.
Meaning & Origin of Zion
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Zion is a given name and surname derived from the ancient Canaanite hill fortress in Jerusalem called the City of David. It is less commonly spelled Sion, Tzion, Tsion, Tsiyon, Seyon, or Tsiyyon. In Hebrew Zion is one of the 70 Names of Jerusalem. It is of Old English, Greek, and Hebrew origins.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Zion
As a girl name
Zion first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1985, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 524 Zions were born — ranking #575 that year. As of 2026, Zion ranks #2,125 for girls with 91 births, falling sharply (-47%). In total, more than 7K Zions have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Zion first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1917, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 2,883 Zions were born — ranking #125 that year. As of 2026, Zion ranks #144 for boys with 2,503 births, gradually rising (+7%). In total, more than 49K Zions have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Zion
Phonetically similar names — useful when Zion 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 Zion
What does the name Zion mean?
How popular is Zion in 2026?
When was Zion most popular?
In which U.S. states is Zion most popular?
Is Zion a unisex name?
What names go well with Zion?
About the name Zion
Zion is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1917 and has accumulated 49K births in the dataset. Zion's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #125. Use the chart and map above to compare Zion's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- 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.