Zephaniah
Boy name · #1456 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 123 baby boys were named Zephaniah, placing it at #1456 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1406, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,634 boys born in 2025 was named Zephaniah.
Babies named Zephaniah per year. Source: SSA.
The 53-year story
Zephaniah first appears in the Social Security records in 1972, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 171 boys were named Zephaniah — good for #1136 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Zephaniah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zephaniah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zephaniah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zephaniah will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zephaniah is most common
State-level data for Zephaniah is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Zephaniah
Statistically, parents drawn to Zephaniah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zechariah, Micaiah, Jessiah, Obadiah, and Jeriah.
ZechariahMicaiahJessiahObadiahJeriahJahsiahJedidiahZakariah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zephaniah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 123 | #1451 |
| 2024 | 144 | #1332 |
| 2023 | 125 | #1449 |
| 2022 | 119 | #1516 |
| 2021 | 132 | #1383 |
| 2020 | 125 | #1390 |
| 2019 | 171 | #1136 |
| 2018 | 152 | #1224 |
| 2017 | 138 | #1306 |
| 2016 | 144 | #1266 |
| 2015 | 122 | #1406 |
| 2014 | 123 | #1385 |
| 2013 | 129 | #1326 |
| 2012 | 117 | #1419 |
| 2011 | 117 | #1411 |
| 2010 | 108 | #1503 |
| 2009 | 109 | #1518 |
| 2008 | 121 | #1399 |
| 2007 | 109 | #1464 |
| 2006 | 91 | #1596 |
| 2005 | 85 | #1603 |
| 2004 | 75 | #1701 |
| 2003 | 63 | #1870 |
| 2002 | 66 | #1744 |
| 2001 | 59 | #1871 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Zephaniah a popular boy name?
Zephaniah ranked #1456 among boys in 2025 with 123 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1406.
When was the name Zephaniah most popular?
Zephaniah peaked in 2019, when 171 American boys received the name (ranked #1136 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zephaniah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,634 newborn American boys was named Zephaniah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.