Given name
Zoey
“life”·“a life-giving woman; alive”
In English use, Zoey is a variant of Zoë. One Greek interpretation is “life.” Zoey is a variant of Zoe. One Greek interpretation is “a life-giving woman; alive.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Zoey is a variant of Zoë. One Greek interpretation is “life.” Zoey is a variant of Zoe. One Greek interpretation is “a life-giving woman; alive.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Zoey is a variant of Zoë. An origin associated with Zoë is Greek.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1967. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zoey through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 115,562
- 230 boys · 115,332 girls
- Most popular year
- 2012
- 7,491 babies
- 2025
- 3,433
- #69 for girls · #11,998 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −30%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 3,427 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 69 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 29.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 7,482 in 2012. It also appeared in 6 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (421). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 81,220 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.
Zoey’s family of names
In German usage, Zoey has a related form in Zoe. In English usage, Zoey has a conventional equivalent in the French form Zoé. In English usage, Zoey has a related form in Zoë.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Zoey has relatives in 4 languages.
4 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Zoey
- Zooey DeschanelAmerican actress and singerborn 1980
- Zoey DeutchAmerican actressborn 1994
- Zoey ClarkBritish sprinterborn 1994
- Zooey ZephyrAmerican politician and university administratorborn 1988
- Zoey TurAmerican broadcast reporter and scientistborn 1960
- Zoey GoralskiAmerican soccer playerborn 1995
- Zoey DeanAmerican writerborn 1950
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Zoey, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Paisley
“woman of the church” · “man of the church”
>99% girls
Aaliyah
Aaliyah is a variant of Aliyah. One Arabic interpretation is “an ascender; one having the highest social standing.”
>99% girls
Aliyah
Aliyah is used as a given name. One Arabic interpretation is “an ascender; one having the highest social standing.”
>99% girls
Khloe
“a flourishing woman; blooming”
>99% girls
Journey
“one who likes to travel”
9% boys · 91% girls
Rylee
“from the rye clearing; a courageous woman” · “from the rye clearing”
4% boys · 96% girls
Zuri
“a beauty” · “lovely and white”
2% boys · 98% girls
Jordyn
“flowing down”
8% boys · 92% girls