Zeno

♂ Boy

Pronounced ZEE-noh /ˈziː.noʊ/High

Meaning: Gift of Zeus; of Zeus; from Greek Zenon (of Zeus — the sky god, from *dyeus: shining sky)High

In 30 seconds: A Greek name meaning 'gift of Zeus' or 'of Zeus,' from the sky god's name. Made famous by two ancient philosophers — Zeno of Elea (inventor of paradoxes) and Zeno of Citium (founder of Stoicism).

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Origin HighGreek

MeaningGift of Zeus; of Zeus; from Greek Zenon (of Zeus — the sky god, from *dyeus: shining sky)

U.S. rank (2025)#2537 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births53 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2024

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,491

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Zeno comes from Greek Zenon (of Zeus, from the sky god's name *dyeus: shining sky). Two famous ancient philosophers bore this name: Zeno of Elea (inventor of paradoxes) and Zeno of Citium (c.334–262 BCE), founder of Stoic philosophy.

Zeno has been appearing in U.S. boys' data as a distinctive philosophical/ancient name. Its 2024 ranking of #2413 reflects modest use.

Did you know? Zeno of Elea (c.490–430 BCE) invented the famous paradoxes of motion, including Achilles and the Tortoise — which 'proves' that Achilles can never catch a tortoise because he must always cover half the remaining distance. These paradoxes challenged Greek mathematics and still fascinate philosophers and mathematicians today.

Overall data confidence 91%

Behind the Name — Zeno — Greek etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

Zenon

Nicknames

Zen

Famous Bearers

★Zeno of Citium (c.334–262 BCE)
Greek philosopher who founded Stoicism, one of the most influential philosophical schools in Western history. His teachings emphasized virtue, reason, and acceptance of fate.

If you like Zeno…

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Theo— short form of Theodore with the same crisp two-syllable Greek quality

Orion— Greek constellation name with the same mythological depth

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Zeno mean?

Zeno means 'gift of Zeus' or 'of Zeus,' from Greek Zenon. Two ancient philosophers named Zeno shaped Western thought.

How do you pronounce Zeno?

It's said ZEE-noh /ˈziː.noʊ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Zeno a boy or girl name?

Zeno is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Zeno?

Zeno ranked #2413 for U.S. boys in 2024.