What Does the Name Zion Mean?

Zion is a unisex name of Hebrew origin meaning “highest point / citadel (a hill in Jerusalem).”

Updated June 2026

Name	Zion
Gender	unisex
Origin	Hebrew
Meaning	highest point / citadel (a hill in Jerusalem)
Variants	Tzion, Zyon, Sion, Zayon
Popularity	Most popular in the United States, where it is a top-200 name used predominantly for boys but increasingly for girls, boosted by Lauryn Hill's son Zion.

The meaning and origin of Zion

The name Zion means “highest point / citadel (a hill in Jerusalem)” and has Hebrew origins. Zion (Hebrew Tziyyon, צִיּוֹן) is a biblical place name referring to a hill in Jerusalem and, by extension, the city, the Promised Land, and the heavenly Jerusalem; its pre-Israelite etymology is uncertain but often glossed as 'highest point' or 'citadel.' It is now a popular given name.

Variants and related names

Zion is related to several other names you may recognize: Tzion, Zyon, Sion, Zayon. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Zion?

Most popular in the United States, where it is a top-200 name used predominantly for boys but increasingly for girls, boosted by Lauryn Hill's son Zion.

Popularity matters when you need believable test data: a name that fits the era or region you are modeling makes a generated profile look real. You can generate a complete fictional profile using the name Zion below.

Generate a fake Zion profile

Need a complete fictional identity using the name Zion? Generate a full profile — address, phone, email and more — for testing and privacy.