NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Zael

A variant spelling of the name Zahel meaning "morning star".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Zael is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Zael popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2021 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Zael. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Zael ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 3 boys were registered as Zael.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zael as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5119

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2021

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Zael mean?

The name Zael is an ancient name with roots tracing back to the ancient Hebrew language. It is believed to have originated around the 6th century BCE in the region of ancient Israel and Judah. The name Zael is derived from the Hebrew word "tzel," which means "shadow" or "shade."

In ancient Hebrew texts and scriptures, the name Zael is mentioned as a variant spelling of the name Tzelaphchad, which appears in the Book of Numbers in the Hebrew Bible. Tzelaphchad was the name of a man from the tribe of Manasseh who had no sons, and his daughters petitioned Moses for the right to inherit his property, a landmark event in the recognition of women's property rights in ancient Israelite society.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Zael was Zael ben Yitzchak, a Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in the 10th century CE in the city of Córdoba, which was then part of the Caliphate of Córdoba in modern-day Spain. Zael ben Yitzchak was known for his contributions to the fields of astronomy and mathematics.

Another notable figure with the name Zael was Zael de Tosa, a Catalan poet and troubadour who lived in the 13th century CE in the region of Catalonia, which is now part of Spain. Zael de Tosa was renowned for his love poems and contributions to the development of the Catalan language and literature.

In the 16th century, Zael Ferreira was a Portuguese explorer and navigator who accompanied the famous explorer Ferdinand Magellan on his famous voyage to circumnavigate the globe. Zael Ferreira was born in 1495 and played a crucial role in the successful completion of the expedition after Magellan's death in 1521.

Another individual with the name Zael was Zael ben Levi, a Jewish philosopher and theologian who lived in the 17th century in the Ottoman Empire. Zael ben Levi was known for his teachings on Jewish mysticism and his interpretations of the Kabbalah.

In the 19th century, Zael Felicia Rivadavia was a Venezuelan poet and writer who was born in 1838. She was a prominent figure in the literary and cultural circles of her time and was known for her contributions to the development of Venezuelan literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Zael over time

The chart below shows babies named Zael registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2021 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Zael, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Zael
01223202120222024

Decades

Zael by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zael was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #4954 6 2

Related

Names similar to Zael

FAQ

Zael: questions and answers

How popular is the name Zael in the UK right now?

In 2024, Zael was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Zael most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 3 babies registered as Zael in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Zael?

A variant spelling of the name Zahel meaning "morning star".

How many people are called Zael in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Zael across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.