Cool Baby Names That Start with Z

This contemporary creation plays on a couple of trends by applying the attractive Z to the rhyming family of names including Hailey, Bailey, and Kayley. The -ee suffix is the icing on the cake. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2015.

If for whatever reason you're wed to the whole Zachary concept, this variation -- either as a proper name or a nickname -- is one way to make it new.

More familiar now via its Salman form, thanks to author Rushdie; this is an unusual biblical alternative.

Zoelie, also spelled Zoélie, looks like a modern elaboration of Zoe but may have deeper roots. It is thought to be a form of Zoelle, a feminization of Zoel, the French version of the saintly name Zoellus. His name seems to be a form of Zoilos... which itself comes from the same root as Zoe, meaning "life"! Whether it's ancient or modern, Zoelie is a pretty name that might appeal as an unusual alternative to Sylvie and Coralie.

Zabelle and Zabel are fresh (to us) and ancient forms of Isabel, making zippy variations for modern lovers of that ancient name who feel the original is overexposed.

Sometimes cited as an Anglicized form of the Spanish name Rosalia/Rosaelia, Zaelia may also derive from other similar-sounding names, like Azalea, Zelia or Zélie. With high-value Scrabble letters and the "ay" sound bang on-trend, it's surprising that this striking name remains so rare.

This is most familiar here as a musical name, via Indian Parsi conductor Zubin Mehta, but it certainly could be used by others.

Makes Susan or Susie more buzzy.

If there are too many Jareds in your neighborhood, you might want to consider this Hebrew alternative.

Lara Bingle and Sam Worthington gave their son Rocket the middle name Zot after Lara's father's nickname.

Zelmo Beaty was a noted basketball player in the 1960s and 1970s; his name has an offbeat tickle-me-Zelmo feel.

Has a nice outdoorsy, beachy cabana feel.

Mix a bit of old-fashioned Jane with the male-inflected Zane, et voila.