Total births
2,750
Boys' name · since 1880
Zeb
Zeb has 2,750 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1979 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6474
- among boys today
- 2,750
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Zeb is the #6474 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,750 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Zeb recorded 2,750 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #6474 nationally today, ahead of 55% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #6474 among boys today
- 2,750 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 55% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Zeb is currently the #6474 boys' name in America, more common than 55% of boys - 2,750 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #6474
- among boys today
- 2,750
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other boys
Zeb vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6474
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 55% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
12% of everyone ever named Zeb was born in this single decade.
1979
Single peak year
65 babies were named Zeb in 1979 - its busiest year on record.
How Zeb compares
2,750 Top 18% higher than 82% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Zeb's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Zeb | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,750 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 65 | 23 | 22,252 |
Zeb's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Zeb splits its recorded history at 1953: 56% of all births land in the more recent half, 44% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1885 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1979 peak of 65 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Zeb at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1979
Current rank
#6,474
Active since
1880
Zeb popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1979)
- 65
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Zeb by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Zeb's strongest decade.
327 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 12% of all-time use.
Zeb births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 99
1880s
99 births
- 1890s 74
1890s
74 births
- 1900s 81
1900s
81 births
- 1910s
1910s
228 births
- 1920s
1920s
327 births
- 1930s
1930s
195 births
- 1940s
1940s
152 births
- 1950s
1950s
138 births
- 1960s 96
1960s
96 births
- 1970s
1970s
241 births
- 1980s
1980s
259 births
- 1990s
1990s
239 births
- 2000s
2000s
305 births
- 2010s
2010s
228 births
- 2020s 88
2020s
88 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 327 births (12% of all-time use).
How Zeb compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Zeb's total volume
Zeb vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Zeb by state
Where Zeb concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 570 | 20.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 18 | 0.7% |
| #3 | Tennessee | | 12 | 0.4% |
| #4 | California | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #5 | Iowa | | 6 | 0.2% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #8 | Oregon | | 5 | 0.2% |
North Carolina share of Zeb's total US births 20.7%
Even split
570 of 2,750 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Zeb? ▼
Zeb has been given to 2,750 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #6474 as of the latest data. 65 babies were born in 1979, its single highest year.
When was Zeb most popular? ▼
Zeb was most popular in the 1920s decade with 327 total births. The single peak year was 1979.
Where is Zeb most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Zeb are North Carolina (570 births), Texas (18 births), Tennessee (12 births).
How long has the name Zeb been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Zeb since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Zeb? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Zebulon, Zebedee, Zebadiah, Zebulun, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Zeb's data
- Zeb's decade-level peak was the 1920s (327 total births); usage has since declined to 88 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Zebs (570 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Zeb
Nearby Names Like Zeb
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Zeb
Zebulon Boy
#4328 2,149 births
Zebedee Boy
#3167 1,276 births
Zebadiah Boy
#4625 1,112 births
Zebulun Boy
#3726 894 births
Zebediah Boy
#5517 622 births
Compare Zeb side by side: Zeb vs Zebulon Zeb vs Zebedee Zeb vs Zebadiah
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Zeb
Sumner #6473
2,444 births · Peak 1920
Llewellyn #6475
3,414 births · Peak 1916
Haywood #6472
6,541 births · Peak 1919
Buster #6476
8,173 births · Peak 1918
Cleveland #6471
21,945 births · Peak 1947
Richmond #6477
4,305 births · Peak 1921
Rubin #6470
7,054 births · Peak 1923
Sanders #6478
2,392 births · Peak 1951
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Zeb: #6474 Boys' Name - 2,750 Births, Peak 1979." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/zeb. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Zeb draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.