Total births
2,149
Boys' name · since 1891
Zebulon
Since 1891, U.S. Social Security records show 2,149 babies named Zebulon, peaking in 1979. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4328
- among boys today
- 2,149
- born since 1891
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
2,149 babies have been named Zebulon since 1891, making it today's #4328 boys' name.
Zebulon has 2,149 recorded births among boys since 1891, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4328 as of the latest data, more common than 70% of boys, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1891 to 2025.
- #4328 among boys today
- 2,149 born since 1891
- 1980s peak decade
- 70% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Zebulon is currently the #4328 boys' name in America, more common than 70% of boys - 2,149 born since 1891, peaking in the 1980s.
- #4328
- among boys today
- 2,149
- born since 1891
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
Zebulon vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4328
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 70% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Zebulon was born in this single decade.
1979
Single peak year
125 babies were named Zebulon in 1979 - its busiest year on record.
How Zebulon compares
2,149 Top 20% higher than 80% 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
Zebulon's all-time total is 6x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Zebulon | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,149 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 125 | 23 | 22,252 |
Zebulon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Zebulon splits its recorded history at 1991: 49% of all births land in the more recent half, 51% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1917 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1979 peak of 125 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Zebulon at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1979
Current rank
#4,328
Active since
1891
Zebulon popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1891–2025
- Peak year (1979)
- 125
- Annual births at peak, across 135 years of records
Zebulon by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Zebulon's strongest decade.
610 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Zebulon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 6
1890s
6 births
- 1910s 19
1910s
19 births
- 1920s 19
1920s
19 births
- 1930s 9
1930s
9 births
- 1940s 18
1940s
18 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 16
1960s
16 births
- 1970s
1970s
341 births
- 1980s
1980s
610 births
- 1990s
1990s
416 births
- 2000s
2000s
281 births
- 2010s
2010s
272 births
- 2020s 137
2020s
137 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 610 births (28% of all-time use).
How Zebulon 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 Zebulon's total volume
Zebulon vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Zebulon by state
Where Zebulon concentrates geographically, total births since 1891
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 128 | 6.0% |
| #2 | California | | 38 | 1.8% |
| #3 | Texas | | 23 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Colorado | | 22 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 18 | 0.8% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 13 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 12 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 11 | 0.5% |
North Carolina share of Zebulon's total US births 6.0%
Even split
128 of 2,149 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 16 reporting states.
Zebulon appears in 16 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Zebulon? ▼
2,149 babies have been named Zebulon since 1891. It currently ranks #4328 among boys. The peak year was 1979 with 125 births.
When was Zebulon most popular? ▼
Zebulon was most popular in the 1980s decade with 610 total births. The single peak year was 1979.
Where is Zebulon most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Zebulon are North Carolina (128 births), California (38 births), Texas (23 births).
How long has the name Zebulon been used? ▼
Zebulon has been recorded in Social Security data since 1891, spanning 135 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Zebulon? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Zeb, Zebedee, Zebadiah, Zebulun, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Zebulon's data
- Zebulon's decade-level peak was the 1980s (610 total births); usage has since declined to 137 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Zebulons (128 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 Zebulon
Nearby Names Like Zebulon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Zebulon
Zeb Boy
#6474 2,750 births
Zebedee Boy
#3167 1,276 births
Zebadiah Boy
#4625 1,112 births
Zebulun Boy
#3726 894 births
Zebediah Boy
#5517 622 births
Compare Zebulon side by side: Zebulon vs Zeb Zebulon vs Zebedee Zebulon vs Zebadiah
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Zebulon
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, 1891–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Zebulon: #4328 Boys' Name - 2,149 Births, Peak 1979." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/zebulon. 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 Zebulon 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.