UK name, mostly boys
Zhi
Meaning "straight" or "upright" in Chinese.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 112 girls.
Zhi is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Zhi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 24 births.
This profile covers 209 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1999 to 2023. 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 13% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 221 living people in the UK are called Zhi. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Zhi ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 24 boys were registered as Zhi.
- • Zhi ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #281 in 2002.
- • Zhi is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 221 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zhi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 65.1% of Zhi registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
24 births
Estimated living
221
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Zhi
In England and Wales birth records, Zhi has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 65.1% of registrations are for boys and 34.9% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Zhi registered for boys
- Ranked #4,991 in 2023
- 3 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2008 (24 births)
Zhi registered for girls
- Ranked #5,666 in 2018
- 3 girls registered in 2018
- Peak: 2009 (16 births)
Meaning
What does Zhi mean?
The given name Zhi has its origins in Chinese culture and language. It is a single-character name that has been in use for centuries, with its earliest known examples dating back to ancient China.
In Mandarin Chinese, the character 智 (Zhi) means "wisdom" or "intelligence." It is a highly regarded name, often chosen for its auspicious connotations and the hope that the child will grow up to be wise and intelligent.
The name Zhi can be traced back to ancient Chinese texts, including philosophical works and historical records. In the Analects, a collection of Confucian teachings compiled around the 5th century BCE, the character 智 is used to describe the ideal of wisdom and virtue.
Throughout Chinese history, numerous notable individuals have borne the name Zhi. One of the earliest examples is Zhi Dun (314-366 CE), a renowned calligrapher and scholar during the Jin Dynasty. Another notable figure was Zhi Qian (534-606 CE), a prominent Buddhist monk and translator during the Sui Dynasty.
In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), Zhi Yao (655-713 CE) was a celebrated poet and calligrapher, known for his influential works and contributions to Chinese literature. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), Zhi Zheng (988-1038 CE) was a renowned Confucian scholar and philosopher.
In more recent history, Zhi Qing (1900-1989) was a prominent Chinese revolutionary and politician who played a significant role in the establishment of the People's Republic of China. He served as the Vice President of China from 1959 to 1975.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout Chinese history who have carried the name Zhi, reflecting its longstanding cultural significance and association with wisdom and intelligence.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Zhi over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Zhi in England and Wales, from 1999 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Zhi, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 24 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zhi by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zhi 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 | #4991 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #2712 | 96 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1824 | 107 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2943 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Zhi is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Zhi. 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.
Zhi ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #281 in 2002.
Across the UK
Zhi in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#680 in 2014
3 years of NRS records, 11 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#281 in 2002
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Zhi
- 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
Zhi: questions and answers
How popular is the name Zhi in the UK right now?
In 2023, Zhi was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Zhi most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 24 babies registered as Zhi in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Zhi?
Meaning "straight" or "upright" in Chinese.
How many people are called Zhi in the UK?
A total of 209 babies have been registered as Zhi across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 11 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Zhi most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Zhi ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #281 in 2002. 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.