Declining since 2002, #5,208 for boys today.
Popularity of Zakary since 1970
Babies named Zakary per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 129 |
| 1980s | 484 |
| 1990s | 1,881 |
| 2000s | 2,111 |
| 2010s | 842 |
| 2020s | 166 |
Meaning & origin
Zakary is a modern respelling of the classic Zachary, which has been a staple in the English-speaking world for centuries. The biblical origin of the name gives it a strong religious heritage, but the Zakary variant emerged relatively recently, first recorded in 1970. It reached its peak popularity in 2002, when it ranked significantly higher than its current 5208th place in 2025. Today, Zakary is given to about 1 in 94,893 boys, reflecting a steady decline since its peak. Unlike the more common spellings, Zakary has no strong regional ties and is used across the United States in small numbers. Its distinctive spelling appeals to parents seeking a familiar name with a unique twist.
Zakary is a variant spelling of Zachary, which is derived from the Hebrew name Zechariah (זְכַרְיָה), meaning 'God has remembered.' The name appears in the Bible as the name of a prophet and the father of John the Baptist. The variant form Zakary, with a 'k' instead of 'ch,' emerged in the late 20th century, particularly in the United States, as a phonetic spelling.
Where Zakary is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Zakary” around the world
Where Zakary lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
25
babies in 2024
Quebec
8
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Zak, Z
Sibling names for Zakary
Names that share Zakary's style, for a brother or sister.
