What Does the Name Zoe Mean?
Zoe is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning “life.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Zoe |
|---|---|
| Gender | female |
| Origin | Greek |
| Meaning | life |
| Variants | Zoey, Zoie, Zoé, Zooey, Zoja |
| Popularity | Top 40 US girls' name throughout the 2000s-2010s. |
The meaning and origin of Zoe
The name Zoe means “life” and has Greek origins. From the Greek word zoe meaning 'life.' It was adopted by Hellenized Jews as a translation of Eve and borne by early Christian saints and Byzantine empresses, then revived in the English-speaking world in the late 20th century.
Variants and related names
Zoe is related to several other names you may recognize: Zoey, Zoie, Zoé, Zooey, Zoja. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Zoe?
Top 40 US girls' name throughout the 2000s-2010s.
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 Zoe below.
Generate a fake Zoe profile
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Zoe mean?+
The name Zoe means “life” and is of Greek origin.
What is the origin of the name Zoe?+
Zoe originates from Greek.
Is Zoe a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Zoe has trended in the US over time.
Zoe by gender
More girl's names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press