Zachaeus Name Meaning & Historical Trends

Zachaeus

Pronunciation: zuh-KEE-uhs / zak-EE-uhs

Meaning Pure Gender Boy
Zachaeus' Popularity in U.S.
No births recorded for Zachaeus in the 2025 SSA name data.

Fun Facts About the Name Zachaeus

  • 7 babies named Zachaeus: U.S. records list 7 babies given the name Zachaeus from 1880 through 2025.

What Does the Name Zachaeus Mean?

Zachaeus is a variant spelling of Zacchaeus, a name meaning "pure." It comes from the Hebrew name Zakkai (זַכַּי), which is connected with the root זכך (z-k-k), "to be clean" or "pure." The Greek New Testament has the form Ζακχαῖος (Zakchaios), and Latin has Zacchaeus. Zachaeus keeps the same derivation but simplifies the doubled consonant of the Latin spelling. The literal sense is "pure" or "clean"; "innocent" and "just" are customary glosses rather than separate etymologies. Despite the similar opening, it is not a form of Zachariah or Zachary, which come from a different Hebrew name.

Zachaeus Name History & Origins

The Hebrew name Zakkai is attested in the lists of exiles returning from Babylon: Ezra 2:9 and Nehemiah 7:14 mention a family called the children of Zaccai. The Greek form Ζακχαῖος is best known from the Gospel of Luke, where Zacchaeus is the chief tax collector of Jericho who climbs a sycamore tree to see Jesus (Luke 19:1 - 10). From Greek the name passed into Latin as Zacchaeus and into English biblical usage. Zachaeus is a variant spelling of the Latin and English biblical form Zacchaeus, with one c removed from the doubled consonant; it is not a separate name with a different origin. The Gospel figure, rather than the Hebrew family name, is the source of the name's familiar Christian association.

How Popular is the Name Zachaeus?

Zachaeus has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2001. Its best rank was #9,226 in 2001.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

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How the Name Zachaeus Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You have aspiration and inspiration, hope and guidance. Since you are intuitive and perceptive and you understand human nature. You have the power to achieve. Diplomacy and discretion make you a good mediator. You are inspired, introspective, and have a good understanding of the human heart. You can have the ability to commercialize your artistic talents successfully. You are often a mystery to others and to yourself. You are always reaching for something higher, without exactly knowing what that "higher" is. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.

✦ Zachaeus's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Zachaeus's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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