Zael
Boy name · #1381 in 2025 · Rare
Zael is currently the #1381 boy name in the United States — 134 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #6676, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,433 boys born in 2025 was named Zael.
Babies named Zael per year. Source: SSA.
The 21-year story
Zael first appears in the Social Security records in 2004, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 134 babies and a rank of #1376. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zael in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zael is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zael will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zael is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zael is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Zael is most common in CA (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000), NY (0.1 per 1,000), FL (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Zael is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Zael
Statistically, parents drawn to Zael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nael, Lael, Mael, Dael, and Rael.
NaelLaelMaelDaelRaelSaelIzaelAdael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 134 | #1376 |
| 2024 | 89 | #1820 |
| 2023 | 56 | #2416 |
| 2022 | 70 | #2117 |
| 2021 | 62 | #2253 |
| 2020 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2019 | 45 | #2766 |
| 2018 | 38 | #3055 |
| 2017 | 23 | #4331 |
| 2016 | 15 | #5789 |
| 2015 | 12 | #6676 |
| 2014 | 12 | #6632 |
| 2013 | 9 | #8118 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8158 |
| 2011 | 12 | #6578 |
| 2010 | 7 | #9693 |
| 2009 | 10 | #7692 |
| 2008 | 6 | #11037 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8173 |
| 2006 | 8 | #8732 |
| 2005 | 6 | #10151 |
| 2004 | 7 | #8927 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Zael a popular boy name?
Zael ranked #1381 among boys in 2025 with 134 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6676.
When was the name Zael most popular?
Zael peaked in 2025, when 134 American boys received the name (ranked #1376 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Zael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,433 newborn American boys was named Zael. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.