| Zachary | Ethan | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The Lord has remembered | Strong, enduring |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | ZAK-uh-ree | EE-thun |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1900 | 1882 |
| Peak year | 1993 (25,538) | 2004 (22,210) |
| In 2025 | 1,646 | 7,852 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Zachary | Ethan |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 13,208 | 50,594 |
| 2010s | 51,146 | 149,111 |
| 2000s | 134,756 | 201,835 |
| 1990s | 225,290 | 66,930 |
| 1980s | 101,818 | 10,490 |
| 1970s | 19,060 | 5,301 |
| 1960s | 3,476 | 1,601 |
| 1950s | 2,169 | 553 |
| 1940s | 404 | 254 |
| 1930s | 142 | 225 |
| 1920s | 168 | 233 |
| 1910s | 109 | 184 |
| 1900s | 6 | 17 |
| 1890s | 0 | 31 |
| 1880s | 0 | 30 |
Zachary is an English form of Zechariah, Hebrew for “Yahweh remembers.” It was borne by Zachary Taylor, the twelfth US president.
Ethan comes from the Hebrew for “firm, enduring, strong.” In the Bible, Ethan the Ezrahite was noted for his wisdom.
Ethan is more popular than Zachary today: about 7,852 US babies were given the name Ethan in 2025, compared with 1,646 named Zachary.
Zachary means The Lord has remembered (Hebrew origin), while Ethan means Strong, enduring (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Zachary first appears in 1900 and Ethan in 1882, so Ethan has the longer recorded history.