Alternatives to Zoe or Zoey

Parents searching for a simple, peaceful name may be attracted to this one.

Familiar through the similarly pronounced TV Warrior Princess, but the original Xena spelling is cooler.

Zephyrus was the Greek god of the west wind, and all names associated with him have a pleasantly gentle, breezy feel.

The sixth letter of the Greek alphabet, popularized by Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones -- Zeta was her grandmother's first name. Zeta can also refer to the letter Z, the last in the Roman alphabet, or be a spelling variation of Zita, a name with several possible origins and meanings.

A short and zippy name that would blend right in with but also stand out among a group of girls named Mia, Gia, Lia and Tia. If you're searching for girl names that work in many cultures, this is an accessible yet distinctive choice. One caveat though: in an Italian-American family it would be strange to have a baby named Aunt.

Ziola is a Zoe relative via Zoila, the feminine form of the Ancient Greek name Zoilos or Zoilus, borne by a 4th century BC cynic philosopher. Zoilos adopted a name meaning "Homer whipper" for himself.

A thirteenth-century Tuscan saint, patron of homemakers, Zita is the kind of name that sounded really creative in an earlier era.

Possibly a variation of the ultra-popular Greek Zoe, Zoa was given to around 2 dozen baby girls each recent year.

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.

A modern combo name created from Zoe + Ella – or, in the case of influential British Youtuber Zoella, from Zoë + Elizabeth.

Zoelle is a modern-sounding name combining the stylish Zoe, which means life, with the trendy Elle, French for "she". Could make for a zippier spin on sweet Noelle.

A unique relative of Zoe via the Ancient Greek name Zoilos, borne by a 4th century BC cynic philosopher.

When the Eddie Murphys named their fourth daughter Zola, it affirmed the up-and-coming status of the name, which has African roots, but also literary links to Emile Zola. Zola may also be recognizable to some as the adopted daughter of Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd on the hit, long-running show Grey's Anatomy.

Zora is a meaningful literary heroine name honoring Zora Neale Hurston, an important black writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance.

A star in the constellation of Leo, perfect for a sci fi character but for a baby, not so much.

Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this.