Given name
Zenobia
Zenobia is a feminine given name from Latin, ultimately from Arabic. It is used in English, Italian, Polish, and Occitan.
Original Ancient GreekΖηνοβία
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
How it developed
Zenobia is a feminine form of Zénobios. In Polish usage, Zenobia developed from Ζηνοβία.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1881. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zenobia through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,592
- 0 boys · 4,592 girls
- Most popular year
- 1923
- 62 babies
- 2025
- 18
- #6,541 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −26%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 18 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 6,541 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 26.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 62 in 1923. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,571 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.
Zenobia’s family of names
Zenobia has a short form in Zena. In English usage, Zenobia shares a linguistic root with the Hungarian form Zenóbia. Zenobia has a related form in Zenovia.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Zenobia has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
Ancient Greekwhere Zenobia comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Zenashort form
- Zenoviavariant
- Zennobialikely variant
- Nobbydiminutive · English
- Zenobeahvariant
- Zenobeavariant
- Zenobyvariant
- Zenobeevariant
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Across languages 15
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Zenobia
- Zenobia of Armeniawife of Rhadamistus100–1
- Zenobia CamprubíSpanish-American writer and linguist1887–1956
- Zenobia ShroffIndian actressborn 1965
- Zenobia KloppersSouth African actress and singerborn 1974
- Zenobia Powell PerryAmerican composer and composition teacher1908–2004
- Zenobia JacobsGeochronologist
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Zenobia, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Marjory
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