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Zechariah

♂ Boy

Pronounced zek-uh-RY-uh /ˌzɛk.əˈraɪ.ə/High

Meaning: From the Hebrew Zekharyah, composed of zakar (to remember) and Yah (Yahweh), meaning 'Yahweh remembers' or 'God has remembered'; borne by over 30 figures in the Hebrew Bible, including the prophet and the father of John the BaptistHigh

In 30 seconds: Zechariah is a magnificent Hebrew name meaning Yahweh remembers, borne by the prophet Zechariah and by the father of John the Baptist in the New Testament. Grand, prophetic, and deeply scriptural.
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Origin HighHebrew
MeaningFrom the Hebrew Zekharyah, composed of zakar (to remember) and Yah (Yahweh), meaning 'Yahweh remembers' or 'God has remembered'; borne by over 30 figures in the Hebrew Bible, including the prophet and the father of John the Baptist
U.S. rank (2025)#856 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births285 boys (0.02% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2015
Total births (all-time)≈ 11,344

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201519712025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Zechariah comes from the Hebrew Zekharyah, combining zakar (to remember) and Yah (Yahweh). The theological statement embedded in the name — God has remembered — reflected the Hebrew belief that God's memory of the covenant was the source of salvation and deliverance. The most prominent biblical Zechariah was the prophet who wrote the apocalyptic Book of Zechariah (c. 520 BC).

Zechariah is also the name of the father of John the Baptist in the Gospel of Luke, who was struck mute when he doubted the angel Gabriel's announcement of John's birth — one of the New Testament's most dramatic scenes. The name has been used in Jewish and Christian communities for millennia, and has seen a revival in the U.S. as parents seek grand, weighty biblical names. Zachary is a common short form.

Did you know? The name Zechariah appears more than 30 times in the Hebrew Bible as a given name — making it one of the most common names in the Old Testament — reflecting the Hebrew tradition of choosing names that affirmed God's active presence in human history.
Overall data confidence 97%
Behind the Name — Zechariah — Hebrew etymology and biblical usageBook of Zechariah, Hebrew Bible — prophetic bearer reference

Variations

ZacharyZachariahZacharias

Nicknames

ZachZekeCari

Famous Bearers

  • ★Zechariah (biblical prophet) (biblical)
    Hebrew prophet of the 6th century BC associated with the Book of Zechariah, which contains apocalyptic visions and messianic prophecies.

If you like Zechariah…

Nehemiah— same four-syllable theophoric Hebrew name ending in -iah
Jeremiah— shares the -iah suffix and the prophetic biblical Hebrew tradition
Ezekiel— fellow grand four-syllable Hebrew prophet name from the same era
Hezekiah— same structure of Hebrew compound with the -iah suffix meaning God element

Frequently Asked

What does the name Zechariah mean?

Zechariah means Yahweh remembers or God has remembered, from Hebrew zakar (to remember) and Yah (God).

How do you pronounce Zechariah?

It is said zek-uh-RY-uh, with four syllables.

Is Zechariah the same as Zachary?

Zachary is the English short form of Zechariah; they share the same Hebrew root.

Is Zechariah a popular name?

Zechariah has seen growing use in the U.S. as part of the trend for full-form biblical names.