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.
- #8,363 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #8,926 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 454
- born since 1882
- 2010s
- peak decade
454 babies have been named Zed since 1882, making it today's #8926 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Zed has been recorded 454 times among boys since 1882, currently ranked #8926 nationally and more common than 36% 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.
- #8,363 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #8,926 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 454 born since 1882
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Zed ranks #8,363 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #8,926 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 454 born since 1882, peaking in the 2010s.
- #8,363 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #8,926 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 454
- born since 1882
- 2010s
- peak decade
Zed's 454 recorded births place it above 81.61% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Zed compares
454 Top 46% higher than 54% of 13,930 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 23% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Zed | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 454 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 18 | 34 | 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 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
2010s is the heaviest window (100 births, 22% of the file).
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% |
5 of 454 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Zed? ▼
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When was Zed most popular? ▼
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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
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
Compare Zed side by side: Zed vs Zedekiah Zed vs Zedrick Zed vs Zedric
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Zed
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Zed: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2018)
Similar record span (~143 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.