Holding steady, #5,045 for boys today.
Popularity of Zebedee since 1907
Babies named Zebedee per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2024, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Zebedee's real moment was 1907.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 7 |
| 1910s | 85 |
| 1920s | 127 |
| 1930s | 108 |
| 1940s | 94 |
| 1950s | 173 |
| 1960s | 103 |
| 1970s | 78 |
| 1980s | 97 |
| 1990s | 91 |
| 2000s | 87 |
| 2010s | 91 |
| 2020s | 135 |
Meaning & origin
Zebedee is a biblical name of Hebrew origin, primarily associated with the father of the apostles James and John. Extremely rare in modern times, it ranked 5,045 in 2025, with a 1-in-89,899 occurrence rate. Its peak year was its first year of record in 1907, indicating it has never been widely used. The name has remained stable over the decades, with no significant revival. It is almost exclusively used for boys and has no strong association with any particular state.
Zebedee is the English form of the Greek name Zebedaios, which itself comes from the Hebrew name Zavdai or Z'vadiah, meaning 'gift of God' or 'Yah has given'. In the New Testament, Zebedee is the father of the apostles James and John. The name was rarely used in English-speaking countries until the 19th century, when it gained some popularity, especially in the United States.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Zeb, Zebby, Dee
Sibling names for Zebedee
Names that share Zebedee's style, for a brother or sister.
