Zen

“A school of Buddhism centered on meditation” — Sanskrit via Chinese and Japanese origin

Boy's name · #1144 in the US (2025) · 2020s

Zen is near its high-water mark: it reached #906 in 2022 and still ranked #1144 in 2025. About 2,700 boys have carried it since 1969.

Around the world: about 1 in 7,900 boys in Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 8,800 boys in Canada (2024) · about 1 in 11,000 boys in England & Wales (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 19 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Zens

Zen Gesner — American actor
Zen Chong — Malaysian actor
Zen Kajiwara — Japanese actor
Zen Malik — English cricketer
Zen Ghani — Scottish politician

In stories & tradition

Zen — Blake's 7
Zen Cartman — South Park: Phone Destroyer

What Zens become

Among 38 notable people named Zen:

Entertainers appear 2.04× more often than among typical names — e.g. Zen Gesner, American actor.

Similar names: Aizen · Zev · Atharv · Ren · Kylin · Kannon

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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