Zackary

Meaning & origin

Zackary is a spelling variant of Zachary that saw most of its use in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1921 but remained uncommon for decades. Its peak came in 2001, when it ranked 353rd nationally. Since the year 2000, its popularity has been falling steadily. As of 2025, it ranked 1509th, with approximately 1 in 14,725 baby boys receiving the name. Zackary has been most common in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, states where the name has shown regional preference. The variant form reflects a trend toward simplified or altered spellings of traditional names, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s, without changing the name's biblical origin and meaning.

Zackary is a variant spelling of Zachary, itself an English form of the Hebrew name Zechariah, meaning "the Lord has remembered." The name appears in the Old Testament as a prophet and the father of John the Baptist. Its use in English-speaking countries dates to the Middle Ages, though the spelling Zackary emerged later, particularly in the 20th century, as an alternative to the more common Zachary.