UK boy's name
Zebedee
He who bestows gifts, referring to the gift of a son.
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.
Zebedee is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Zebedee popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 19 births.
This profile covers 271 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 269 living people in the UK are called Zebedee. 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
- • Zebedee ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 19 boys were registered as Zebedee.
- • About 269 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zebedee as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1951
2024
Births in 2024
12
Latest year
Peak year
2017
19 births
Estimated living
269
2026
Meaning
What does Zebedee mean?
The given name Zebedee has its origins in Ancient Greek and Aramaic languages. It is derived from the Hebrew name Zabdai, which means "gift of God" or "endowment of God". The name Zabdai is mentioned in the New Testament as the father of the apostles James and John.
Zebedee first appeared in the biblical texts of the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Mark, and the Gospel of Luke. It is believed that Zebedee was a fisherman from the village of Bethsaida, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. He was the husband of Salome and the father of the apostles James and John, who were among the first disciples called by Jesus.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Zebedee is found in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament. The name is mentioned in the following verses: Matthew 4:21, Mark 1:19-20, and Luke 5:10. These verses describe the calling of James and John by Jesus while they were fishing with their father, Zebedee.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zebedee. One of the most famous was Zebedee, the father of the apostles James and John, who lived in the 1st century AD. Another notable figure was Zebedee Craft (c. 1779-1847), an American pioneer and explorer who was one of the founders of the city of Nashville, Tennessee.
Another individual named Zebedee was Zebedee Coltrin (1804-1887), an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a member of the Council of Fifty. Zebedee Weston (1809-1856) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Cambridge University and represented the Cambridge Town Club.
Lastly, Zebedee Crutchfield (1812-1887) was an American politician who served as a member of the Mississippi State Legislature and fought in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Zebedee over time
The chart below shows babies named Zebedee 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 Zebedee, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 19 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zebedee by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zebedee 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 | #2094 | 56 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1956 | 121 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1912 | 82 | 9 |
| 1990s | #2373 | 12 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Zebedee
- Zachary 29,362
- Zak 9,988
- 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
FAQ
Zebedee: questions and answers
How popular is the name Zebedee in the UK right now?
In 2024, Zebedee was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.
When was Zebedee most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 19 babies registered as Zebedee in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Zebedee?
He who bestows gifts, referring to the gift of a son.
How many people are called Zebedee in the UK?
A total of 271 babies have been registered as Zebedee across the 27 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.