Declining since 2018, #4,878 for girls today.
Popularity of Zori since 1993
Babies named Zori per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 33 |
| 2000s | 116 |
| 2010s | 386 |
| 2020s | 253 |
Meaning & origin
Zori is a modern, rare feminine name first recorded in 1993. Its peak popularity came in 2017, and since 2018 its usage has been declining. As of 2025, it ranks 4,878 in the United States, given to about 1 in 59,528 newborn girls. Because it is a relatively recent coinage, Zori lacks deep historical or cultural roots, and its meaning is uncertain. It may draw from the South Slavic word for 'dawn' or the Swahili word for 'beautiful,' but this is not definitively established. Despite its obscurity, Zori has a bright, concise sound that fits contemporary naming trends favoring short vowel-ending names.
Zori is a modern coinage, likely influenced by names like Zora (South Slavic for 'dawn') or Zuri (Swahili for 'beautiful'). It emerged in the United States in the early 1990s, first recorded in 1993, and has since been used sporadically, peaking in popularity in 2017. As a contemporary invention, it does not have a long historical etymology or traditional cultural roots.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Z
Sibling names for Zori
Names that share Zori's style, for a brother or sister.
