Zen

Meaning of Zen

Zen refers to a state of meditation. It also represents a school of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes direct experience of truth.

Zen has Japanese roots — browse every Japanese baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Zen

After ranking as high as #906 in 2022, Zen has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Zen

• Zen Gesner
  American actor
• Zen Phillips
  American singer
• Zen McGrath
  Australian actor
• Zen Cortez
  American musician
• Zen Fujita
  Japanese actor

More Japanese names

Questions about the name Zen

What does the name Zen mean?

Zen means zen refers to a state of meditation. it also represents a school of mahayana buddhism that emphasizes direct experience of truth, and it comes from Japanese origins.

Is Zen a boy's or a girl's name?

Zen is most commonly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Zen?

Zen did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Zen most popular?

Zen peaked at #906 in 2022.