Total births
454
Boys' name · since 1882
Zed
Since 1882, U.S. Social Security records show 454 babies named Zed, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5913
- among boys today
- 454
- born since 1882
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other boys
454 babies have been named Zed since 1882, making it today's #5913 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Zed has been recorded 454 times among boys since 1882, currently ranked #5913 nationally and more common than 59% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2025.
- #5913 among boys today
- 454 born since 1882
- 2010s peak decade
- 59% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Zed is currently the #5913 boys' name in America, more common than 59% of boys - 454 born since 1882, peaking in the 2010s.
- #5913
- among boys today
- 454
- born since 1882
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other boys
Zed vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5913
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 59% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Zed was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
18 babies were named Zed in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Zed compares
454 Top 46% higher than 54% 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
Zed's all-time total is 24% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Zed | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 454 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 18 | 23 | 22,252 |
Zed's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Zed's full recorded timeline at 1989, 58% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 42% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1882, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2018 peak of 18 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Zed at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#5,913
Active since
1882
Zed popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Zed by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Zed's strongest decade.
100 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Zed births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 10
1880s
10 births
- 1890s 12
1890s
12 births
- 1910s 25
1910s
25 births
- 1920s 24
1920s
24 births
- 1930s 19
1930s
19 births
- 1940s 16
1940s
16 births
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1970s 23
1970s
23 births
- 1980s
1980s
62 births
- 1990s
1990s
40 births
- 2000s
2000s
52 births
- 2010s
2010s
100 births
- 2020s
2020s
65 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 100 births (22% of all-time use).
Zed by state
Where Zed concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 1.1% |
California share of Zed's total US births 1.1%
5 of 454 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Zed? ▼
454 babies have been named Zed since 1882. It currently ranks #5913 among boys. The peak year was 2018 with 18 births.
When was Zed most popular? ▼
Zed was most popular in the 2010s decade with 100 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Zed most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Zed are California (5 births).
How long has the name Zed been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Zed since 1882 -- 144 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Zed? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Zedekiah, Zedrick, Zedric, Zeddicus, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Zed's data
- Zed's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (100 total births) through the 2020s (65) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Zeds (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Zed
Nearby Names Like Zed
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Zed
Zedekiah Boy
#3828 725 births
Zedrick Boy
#12591 471 births
Zedric Boy
#12621 221 births
Zeddicus Boy
#13519 95 births
Zeddie Boy
63 births
Compare Zed side by side: Zed vs Zedekiah Zed vs Zedrick Zed vs Zedric
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Zed
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, 1882–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Zed: #5913 Boys' Name - 454 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/zed. 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 Zed 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.