Dog Names That Start With Z

Zuleika is a high-wire act of a name that might appeal to the intrepid baby namer, Like most 'Z'-starting girls' names, it projects a cool, strong aura, as exemplified by the character in Max Beerbohm's satirical 1910 novel, Zuleika Dobson, a heroine so gorgeous that the entire student body of Oxford University committed collective suicide at the sight of her.

Zainab—the name of a flowering tree and of a granddaughter, daughter, and two wives of the Prophet Muhammed—was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2013. While simplified variations Zaina or Zayna are more Western-friendly, neither makes the US list.

More often heard in the West as a surname, Zarin could work as a first for boys or girls.

While this is an ancient male name, it's too similar to modern girls' choices like Mia and Pia to work for a boy today.

A Czech surname derived from the word for "green", which has a certain spark.

See Zac.

This jazzy French diminutive of Isabelle was first made famous by the title character of Raymond Queneau’s novel Zazie dans le métro, which was adapted into a film in 1960. It could also work as a nickname for Elizabeth or Susannah.

Extreme cool possibilities in either of these modern categories, like a postmodern Linc.

The more dignified and attractive Hebrew equivalent of Golda or Goldie.

Masculine short form of the Berber name Tiziri, meaning "moonlight" in Tamazight.

Readers who remember J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey have probably forgotten that the character was male (nee Zachary). Nowadays the somewhat loopy spin on Zoe is associated with actress Zooey Deschanel.

The Selma-Thelma-Velma connection dates it.

Zaiden grafts the fashionable first letter z onto the Aiden/Kaiden/Jaiden group of names, to popular effect. Soundalike Zayden is even more popular.

This version is a bit more in tune with modern tastes.

A rarely heard biblical name, Zadok is borne by no less than nine Old Testament men.

Zayla debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2021. The name might be thought of as the popular Ayla or Layla with the trendy letter Z at the beginning. Variations include Zaylah, Zaylani, and the male Zaylan.

Despite its varied cultural ties, Zizi still sounds like a cancan dancer or a fluffy lapdog.

Two Zells of note: conservative southern senator Zell Miller, and video-game character Zell, a hero of "Final Fantasy."

Derived from Slavic zlato "gold", this strong and dynamic name has a fitting namesake in Swedish professional footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović. It is used in Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Poland, and Slovenia.

Superfans of auteur Wes Anderson may now consider Zissou as a baby name option, ever since Kieran Culkin and Jazz Charton used it for their daughter (birth name Kinsey Sioux). It's a clear homage to Anderson's film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, chronicling the journey of a Jacques Cousteau-like oceanographer avenging his partner's death-by-jaguar-shark.