Given name
Zebedee
“a gift from God”
Zebedee is a variant of Zebadiah. One Hebrew interpretation is “a gift from God.”
Original GreekΖεβεδαιος
Meaning & origin
What it means
Zebedee is a variant of Zebadiah. One Hebrew interpretation is “a gift from God.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Zebedee is a variant of Zebadiah. An origin associated with Zebadiah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Zebedee developed from Ζεβεδαῖος.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1907. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Zebedee appears in Luke 5:10, Matthew 4:21, Jeremiah 16:16 and 1 other passage.
- Luke 5:10
- Matthew 4:21
- Jeremiah 16:16
- Matthew 20:20-28
From biblical name research
Zebedee through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,276
- 1,276 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 38 babies
- 2025
- 19
- #5,203 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +120%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 19 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,203 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 120.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 595 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.
Zebedee’s family of names
In English usage, Zebedee has a diminutive in Zeb. In English usage, Zebedee shares an earlier linguistic root with Zebadiah. Zebedee has a related form in Zebadiah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
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 10
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Zabdielshares a root
- Zabdishares a root
- Zebidahshares a root
- Jozabadshares a root
- Jehozabadshares a root
- Elzabadshares a root
- Zabudshares a root
- Zabbudshares a root
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Appears in
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