UK boy's name
Zak
A diminutive form of the Hebrew name Zachariah, meaning "the Lord remembers".
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.
Zak is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Zak popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #592, with 64 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 626 births.
This profile covers 9,988 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 10% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 11,557 living people in the UK are called Zak. 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
- • Zak ranked #592 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 64 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 626 boys were registered as Zak.
- • Zak ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #218 in 2024.
- • About 11,557 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zak as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#592
2024
Births in 2024
64
Latest year
Peak year
2007
626 births
Estimated living
11,557
2026
Meaning
What does Zak mean?
The name Zak is a diminutive form of the Hebrew name Zachariah, which means "God has remembered". It has its roots in ancient Hebrew, with the earliest recorded use dating back to the 6th century BC. The name was particularly popular among Jewish communities and is found in various religious texts, including the Old Testament of the Bible.
One of the most notable historical figures with the name Zak was Zachariah, a prophet in the Hebrew Bible. He lived during the 6th century BC and is believed to have authored the Book of Zechariah, one of the prophetic books in the Old Testament. Another famous Zachariah was the father of John the Baptist, as mentioned in the New Testament.
In the Middle Ages, the name Zak gained popularity in various European countries due to the influence of the Bible and the spread of Christianity. One notable figure from this period was Zacharias Chrysopolitanus, a 12th-century Greek scholar and theologian.
During the Renaissance, the name Zak was common among Italian and Spanish families. A notable figure was Zacarias Gonzalez Velazquez, a 16th-century Spanish painter known for his religious works.
In the 19th century, the name Zak gained popularity in English-speaking countries. One notable figure was Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States, who served from 1849 to 1850.
Throughout history, the name Zak has been used in various cultural and linguistic contexts, with variations in spelling and pronunciation. However, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Hebrew name Zachariah, reflecting its enduring presence across different eras and regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Zak over time
The chart below shows babies named Zak registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Zak, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 64 births in 2024, compared with 626 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zak by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zak 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 | #464 | 448 | 5 |
| 2010s | #226 | 2,769 | 10 |
| 2000s | #105 | 5,252 | 10 |
| 1990s | #118 | 1,519 | 4 |
Geography
Where Zak is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Zak. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Zak ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #218 in 2024.
Across the UK
Zak in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#218 in 2024
37 years of NRS records, 1,361 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#256 in 2024
28 years of NISRA records, 303 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Zak
-
Zak Lovelace
association football player
English footballer (born 2006)
2006-
-
Zak Johnson
association football player
English footballer (born 2004)
2004-
-
Zak Emmerson
association football player
English association football player
2004-
-
Zak Perzamanos
trampoline gymnast
British trampoline gymnast
2003-
-
Zak Muggleton
actor
British actor
2001-
-
Zak Rudden
association football player
Scottish association football player (born 2000)
2000-
-
Zak Swanson
association football player
English association football player
2000-
-
Zak Coleman
sport cyclist
British cyclist
1999-
Related
Names similar to Zak
- Zachary 29,362
- Zain 7,620
- Zac 7,272
- Zack 7,101
- Zakariya 5,447
- Zach 4,754
- Zayn 4,326
- Zachariah 3,234
- Zion 3,141
- Zane 2,818
- Zayd 2,609
- Zayan 2,318
FAQ
Zak: questions and answers
How popular is the name Zak in the UK right now?
In 2024, Zak was ranked #592 for boys in England and Wales, with 64 births registered.
When was Zak most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 626 babies registered as Zak in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Zak?
A diminutive form of the Hebrew name Zachariah, meaning "the Lord remembers".
How many people are called Zak in the UK?
A total of 9,988 babies have been registered as Zak across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 1,361 more in Scotland and 303 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Zak most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Zak ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #218 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.