Given name & surname
Ze
“God will add”·“God shall add”
Ze is a form of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Portuguese use, Ze carries the interpretation “God will add.” Ze is a form of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Portuguese.
How it developed
Ze is used as a form of Joseph. Ze is a form of Joseph. The shared background comes through Joseph: The English and French name continues the biblical Hebrew form Yosef. The idea of adding is part of the name’s original family context, rather than a later personality interpretation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1999. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Ze is a form of Joseph. The history of Joseph gives this family its wider story. In Genesis, Joseph is Jacob’s son who is taken to Egypt and later reconciled with his brothers. In the New Testament, Joseph is also the husband of Mary, giving the name a distinct place in Christian tradition.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Ze through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 39
- 39 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1999
- 7 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2023. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 794 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ze’s family of names
Ze is a form of Joseph. In Greek usage, Ze as a surname is a transliteration of Ζε. In Ukrainian usage, Ze is a Roman-alphabet rendering of Зе.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Similar names
If you love Ze, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Josif
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Hovsep
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% boys
Josephe
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% boys
Jahleel
“wait for God” · “hope of God”
>99% boys
Ioseph
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% boys
Josu
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Branco
“white”
>99% boys
Jerahmeel
“may God have compassion” · “he will obtain mercy of God”
>99% boys