Zena
Girl name · 8 babies recorded · 1974–2025
Zena: 8 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 5 births in 1986.
Zena is a name with multiple origins, most commonly a short form of Zenobia, a Greek name meaning "life of Zeus" or "divine life." It also appears as a variant of Xenia, from the Greek *xenos* meaning "hospitality" or "stranger." In Scotland, Zena gained modest popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, perhaps influenced by the American actress Zena Keefe, a silent film star, or the character Zena from the 1980s TV series *The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes*. The name shares its root with the Greek island of Zakynthos, though the connection is indirect. A notable variant is Xena, famously associated with the warrior princess from the 1990s television series *Xena: Warrior Princess*, which gave the name a bold, adventurous edge. Zena remains a crisp, uncommon choice with ancient Greek elegance.
Girl 2 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 19865 babies
- Latest (1986)
- #4385 babies
- Total births
- 8since 1976
- 5-year trend
- ≈ stablevs prior 5y