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Zo

♀ Girl

Pronounced ZOH /ˈzoʊ/Medium

Meaning: A one-syllable short form or spare spelling of Zoe, from the Greek zoe, 'life.' Minimal and bright.Low

In 30 seconds: A one-beat spark: Zo shortens Zoe — Greek for 'life' (said 'ZOH'). Minimal and bright.

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Origin LowGreek, English

MeaningA one-syllable short form or spare spelling of Zoe, from the Greek zoe, 'life.' Minimal and bright.

U.S. rank (2025)#14930 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2017

Total births (all-time)≈ 310

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

Zo is a short form or clean spelling of Zoe, from the Greek zoe, 'life.' It reads minimal and modern, keeping the classic's bright meaning — rare in the U.S. (said 'ZOH').

It appears very rarely on its own, next to the popular Zoe. Rare, minimal, and bright.

Did you know? Zo is a spare, one-syllable take on Zoe — from the Greek for 'life' — a minimalist name with a bright, timeless root (said 'ZOH').

Overall data confidence 38%

References — Zo — short form of Zoe; Greek 'life'

Variations

ZoeZoeyZoë

Nicknames

ZozoZizi

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Zo…

Zoe— the name it shortens

Zoey— a like Zoe spelling

Jo— a like one-beat short name

Sage— shares Zo's English roots

Blake— another short pick

Explore names like Zo

By themegreek short one-syllable minimal

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Zo mean?

Zo is a short form of Zoe, from the Greek for 'life.'

How do you pronounce Zo?

It's said ZOH /ˈzoʊ/ — one syllable.

Is Zo a boy or girl name?

Zo is used here as a girl's name.

How popular is Zo?

Zo is a very rare name in the U.S.