Zoe is of Greek origin, translating to 'life'. It gained prominence through the character Zoë in George Eliot's novel "Middlemarch". In recent years, it has surged in popularity, ranking among the top 1000 baby names for girls in several countries. Zoe is often shortened to Zoo or Zo, and its popularity has led to numerous variants such as Zoey, Zoie, Zowie, and even Zozo.
The name Zoe has seen significant fluctuations in popularity over the years. From a low of just 7 births in 1970, its popularity grew steadily to reach a peak of 26 births in 2004. Since then, the number of babies named Zoe has remained relatively stable, with an average of around 15 births per year from 2006 onwards. The most recent data shows that there were 23 births in 2022 and 11 births so far in 2023. In total, over the period covered by these statistics, there have been 558 babies named Zoe.