How to say it
ZACH · a · ry
/ˈzæk.ə.ri/
Masculine
Zachary
Remembered by God
What it means
Anglicized form of Hebrew Zechariah, 'Yahweh has remembered.' One of the twelve minor prophets, and (in the New Testament) the father of John the Baptist.
Zachary is the English form of Zechariah, from the Hebrew Zekhariah ('Yahweh has remembered'). Two biblical figures carry the name: the Old Testament minor prophet whose book contains apocalyptic visions, and the father of John the Baptist in Luke's Gospel (who was struck mute for doubting the angel Gabriel's announcement, then recovered his voice when he named the child John). The English Zachary surged in the 1980s and 1990s biblical-name revival and has been in the US top 100 since 1992 (currently sliding gently). Zack is the universal short; Zach is the slightly more formal variant.
Popularity over time
peaked at #12 in 1994, currently #216 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Zack is the dominant short; Zach is the slightly older spelling. Both common.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Zechariah (Bible) Old Testament minor prophet, apocalyptic visions of horses and chariots
- Zachary Taylor 12th US president, served 16 months before dying in office, 1849-1850
Spelling variants
- Zachariah
- Zacharias
- Zakary
Names with the same feeling
See Zachary from another angle
By meaning
By style