| Zebedee | Hermes | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Yahweh has bestowed | Messenger of the gods |
| Origin | greek | Greek |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | ZEB-ə-dee | HER-meez |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1924 |
| Peak year | 2024 (38) | 2025 (37) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 37 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Zebedee | Hermes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 135 | 170 |
| 2010s | 91 | 119 |
| 2000s | 87 | 101 |
| 1990s | 91 | 104 |
| 1980s | 97 | 104 |
| 1970s | 78 | 40 |
| 1960s | 103 | 47 |
| 1950s | 173 | 6 |
| 1940s | 94 | 0 |
| 1930s | 108 | 0 |
| 1920s | 127 | 6 |
| 1910s | 85 | 0 |
| 1900s | 7 | 0 |
Greek New Testament form (Zebedaios) of the Hebrew Zebadiah, from zabad 'to bestow/give' + yah (Yahweh) — 'Yahweh has bestowed'. Borne by the father of the apostles James and John.
Hermes is the swift Greek messenger god; the origin of his name is uncertain.
Hermes is more popular than Zebedee today: about 37 US babies were given the name Hermes in 2025, compared with 0 named Zebedee.
Zebedee means Yahweh has bestowed (greek origin), while Hermes means Messenger of the gods (Greek origin).
In US records, Zebedee first appears in 0 and Hermes in 1924, so Zebedee has the longer recorded history.