The first name Zephaniah
A unisex name from Hebrew.
Pronounced /zɛfəˈnaɪə/ 3 syllables Unisex
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
From Hebrew צְפַנְיָה (ts'fanyá).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 24 boys were named Zephaniah, making it the 1,197th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 40 births (#814).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Zephaniah with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Zephaniah at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 123 boys born in the United States were named Zephaniah, the 1,458th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2019, when 171 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Zephaniah in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Zephaniah
- Zeph
More Hebrew unisex names
Questions
- What does the name Zephaniah mean?
- From Hebrew צְפַנְיָה (ts'fanyá).
- What is the origin of the name Zephaniah?
- From Hebrew צְפַנְיָה (ts'fanyá).
- How popular is the name Zephaniah?
- In 2025, 24 boys born in England and Wales were named Zephaniah, ranking 1,197th. Its peak was 2023, with 40 births.
- What are nicknames for Zephaniah?
- Common nicknames for Zephaniah include Zeph.
- Is Zephaniah a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 3,857 US babies named Zephaniah since 1880, 12% were girls and 88% boys.
- When was Zephaniah most popular?
- 2019 in the United States, when 171 babies were named Zephaniah, its highest rank at 1,143rd.
- How do you pronounce Zephaniah?
- Zephaniah is /zɛfəˈnaɪə/, 3 syllables.