Zebadiah is a unique and distinctive given name of Hebrew origin. Its roots can be traced back to the Old Testament of the Bible, where it appears as one of the sons of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The name Zebadiah is composed of two elements: "Zevad" meaning gift, and "Yah," which is a shortened form of Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God. Therefore, Zebadiah can be interpreted to mean "gift of God."
The first recorded use of the name Zebadiah in history was in the Bible. In Genesis 46:21, it is listed as one of Benjamin's sons who went down to Egypt with Jacob. However, its usage outside of biblical texts has been relatively rare.
Throughout history, Zebadiah has been associated with a few notable figures. One such figure is Zebadiah Boteler, an early governor of the colony of Maryland in North America during the 17th century. Additionally, there was a Zebadiah MacKenzie, who served as a major general in the American Revolutionary War.
While Zebadiah has not been a particularly popular name throughout history, its unique origin and meaning have made it appealing to some parents looking for distinctive names for their children. Today, it remains relatively uncommon but continues to be used sporadically around the world.
Statistics on the given name Zebadiah reveal a fluctuating trend over time in the United States.
Between 1974 and 2023, there were a total of 1058 births registered with the name Zebadiah. The year with the highest number of births was 2001, with an impressive 49 newborns named Zebadiah. Conversely, the lowest years for this name were 1974 and 2008, each seeing only 8 births.
The data also shows periods of consistent popularity followed by declines. For example, from 1976 to 1987, there was a steady increase in the number of babies named Zebadiah, peaking at 27 births in both 1985 and 1986. However, this trend reversed thereafter, with fewer than 20 births annually from 1988 until 2001.
After a significant peak in 2001, the popularity of the name Zebadiah started to decline again but has since stabilized, oscillating between around 15 and 23 births per year since 2012. Interestingly, there have been more than 20 births named Zebadiah each year from 2017 to 2022, indicating a possible resurgence in popularity.
Overall, while the name Zebadiah has seen varying levels of popularity over time, it remains a unique and distinctive choice for parents in the United States.