Zeus

♂ Boy

Pronounced ZOOS /zuːs/High

Meaning: Sky; shine; from Proto-Indo-European *dyeu- (to shine, the sky), giving Greek Zeus (king of the gods, god of sky and thunder)High

In 30 seconds: The name of the king of the Greek gods, from Proto-Indo-European *dyeu- (to shine, the sky). Zeus shares his root with Latin Deus (God), Sanskrit Dyaus (sky deity), and ultimately with the English word 'deity' itself.

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Origin HighGreek

MeaningSky; shine; from Proto-Indo-European *dyeu- (to shine, the sky), giving Greek Zeus (king of the gods, god of sky and thunder)

U.S. rank (2025)#1351 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births140 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2024

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,694

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

Zeus is from Proto-Indo-European *dyeu- (to shine, sky), which gave Greek Zeus, Latin Iuppiter (from Dieu-pater: sky-father), Sanskrit Dyaus, and Latin deus (god). Zeus was the king of the Greek Olympians, ruler of sky and thunder.

Zeus appeared in U.S. boys' birth data in small numbers from the 1990s and has grown. It ranked #1073 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? Zeus, Deus, Dieu, Dio, Dios, and Dyaus all come from the same Proto-Indo-European root *dyeu- (to shine) — proving that the word for God across most Western and South Asian languages descends from one ancient root, the same one that gave us Zeus.

Overall data confidence 93%

Behind the Name — Zeus — Greek/Proto-Indo-European etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

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Famous Bearers

★Zeus (Greek mythology) (mythological)
King of the Olympian gods in Greek mythology, ruler of sky, thunder, and lightning. Father of many heroes and gods, including Athena, Apollo, Artemis, and Heracles.

If you like Zeus…

Apollo— Greek Olympian god name in the same pantheon as Zeus

Ares— Greek war god name in the same Olympian tradition

Atlas— Greek titan name with the same epic mythological scale

Titan— Greek mythological name from the generation preceding Zeus

Explore names like Zeus

By themegreek mythology one-syllable sky

By meaningLight God / Divine Sky / Heaven Royal / Noble

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Zeus mean?

Zeus means 'the shining one' or 'sky,' from Proto-Indo-European *dyeu- (to shine), the root shared by Latin deus (God) and Sanskrit Dyaus.

How do you pronounce Zeus?

It's said ZOOS — one syllable, rhyming with 'moose.'

Is Zeus a boy or girl name?

Zeus is used as a boys' name.

How popular is Zeus?

Zeus ranked #1073 for U.S. boys in 2024.