Girl · #11,156 in 2026

Zorya

Zorya is a figure in Slavic folklore, a feminine personification of dawn, possibly goddess. Depending on tradition, she may appear as a singular entity, or two or three sisters at once. Although Zorya is etymologically unrelated to the Proto-Indo-European goddess of the dawn *H₂éwsōs, she shares most of her characteristics.

Current Rank
#11,156
Peak Rank
#11,223 (2022)
Total Babies
32
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2000
First Year
2023
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#11223
Peak Rank
32
Total Count
5
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Zorya

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Zorya is a figure in Slavic folklore, a feminine personification of dawn, possibly goddess. Depending on tradition, she may appear as a singular entity, or two or three sisters at once. Although Zorya is etymologically unrelated to the Proto-Indo-European goddess of the dawn *H₂éwsōs, she shares most of her characteristics.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The Slavic word zora "dawn, aurora" (from Proto-Slavic *zořà ), and its variants, comes from the same root as the Slavic word zrěti ("to see, observe", from PS *zьrěti ), which originally may have meant "shine". The word zara may have originated under the influence of the word žar "heat" (PS *žarь ). PS *zořà comes from the Proto-Balto-Slavic *źoriˀ (cf. Lithuanian žarà , žarijà ), the etymology of the root is unclear.

The Story of Zorya

American parents first put Zorya on the record books as a baby girl name in 2000, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 8 Zoryas were born — ranking #11,223 that year. About 66% of every Zorya on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. Zorya last appeared in the published SSA data in 2023, with 8 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 32 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
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VT
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OR
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NJ
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Zorya

Phonetically similar names — useful when Zorya 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 Zorya

What does the name Zorya mean?
Zorya is a figure in Slavic folklore, a feminine personification of dawn, possibly goddess. Depending on tradition, she may appear as a singular entity, or two or three sisters at once. Although Zorya is etymologically unrelated to the Proto-Indo-European goddess of the dawn *H₂éwsōs, she shares most of her characteristics.
How popular is Zorya in 2026?
In 2026, Zorya ranks #11,156 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.
When was Zorya most popular?
Zorya reached its peak popularity in 2022, ranking #11,223 that year with 8 babies given the name.
Is Zorya a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Zorya is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Zorya?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Zorya include Rosmary, Nyle, Novena. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Rosmary
Peak #11223
👧
Nyle
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Novena
Peak #11223
👧
Amanita
Peak #11223
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Alenia
Peak #11223
👧
Brenn
Peak #11223
👧
Ottavia
Peak #11223
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Nanaama
Peak #11223

About the name Zorya

Zorya is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2000 and has accumulated 32 births in the dataset. Zorya's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #11,223. Use the chart and map above to compare Zorya's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.