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Zechariah

Zechariah is a Hebrew name meaning "Yahweh has remembered."

Ranked #856 in US baby names in 2025, stable over the past 5 years.

Zechariah is the priest father of John the Baptist in Luke 1 and the post-exilic prophet whose book closes the Old Testament era. Both figures share the name.

Browse namesRead Zechariah's story
OriginHebrew
GenderBoy
FeelBiblical
Pronunciationzek-uh-RY-uh

Is Zechariah biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Zechariah is borne by two named biblical figures, the post-exilic Old Testament prophet of the book of Zechariah and the New Testament priest father of John the Baptist (Luke 1, in the Grecized form Zacharias).

Is Zechariah a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Zechariah is venerated as a saint across Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican tradition, and the priest's Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79) has been chanted in Christian liturgy for centuries.

Plain answer

Zechariah is a biblical name borne by both the Old Testament prophet and the father of John the Baptist, and it is a foundational Christian name across traditions.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Zechariah

Zechariah comes from the Hebrew Zekharyah, combining zakhar (to remember) with Yah (the short form of Yahweh). The meaning "Yahweh has remembered" is theologically substantive: the name declares a specific divine act of covenant remembrance rather than a general attribute. The New Testament uses the Greek form Zacharias for the priest father of John the Baptist in Luke 1; the KJV preserves this Grecized form throughout the New Testament passages.

Two biblical figures

The two Zechariahs of scripture

The Old Testament prophet Zechariah wrote his book to the returned exiles around 520 BC. His messianic prophecies (Zechariah 9:9, riding upon an ass; Zechariah 12:10, they shall look upon me whom they have pierced) are among the most heavily cited Old Testament passages in the New Testament gospels.

The New Testament Zacharias is the elderly Jerusalem priest who was serving in the temple when Gabriel announced the coming birth of John the Baptist. His silence during Elizabeth's pregnancy and restoration at the naming of John (Luke 1:63, "his name is John") frames the Lucan infancy narratives that continue with the Annunciation to Mary.

Sound

How to pronounce Zechariah

Phonetic
zek-uh-RY-uh
IPA
/ˌzɛkəˈraɪə/

4 syllables · stress: zek-uh-RY-uh · ends in a vowel

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Zacharias
  • Zachariah
  • Zakariya

Short forms and nicknames

  • Zach
  • Zack
  • Zeke

Languages

Zechariah in other languages

Hebrew
זְכַרְיָהZekharyahThe original Hebrew form, combining zakhar (to remember) and Yah (short form of Yahweh).
Greek
ΖαχαρίαςZachariasThe New Testament form used in Luke 1 for the priest father of John the Baptist.
Latin
Zacharias
Arabic
زَكَرِيَّاZakariya

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Two biblical figures carry the name Zechariah. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah wrote his book to the returned exiles around 520 BC; his messianic prophecies (notably Zechariah 9:9, "riding upon an ass") are heavily cited in the New Testament gospels. The New Testament Zacharias is the elderly priest who was serving in the temple when Gabriel announced that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son to be called John (Luke 1:5-25). Struck mute for doubting the announcement, Zacharias was restored to speech at the naming of John, then delivered the Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79), one of the great canticles of Christian liturgy. For more on prophet names in the Bible and the prophetic tradition, see Biblical prophet names.

Bearers

Notable people named Zechariah

  • biblical

    Zechariah the prophetPost-exilic Old Testament prophet, active around 520 BC, author of the Book of Zechariah with heavily NT-cited messianic prophecies

  • biblical

    Zacharias the priestNew Testament father of John the Baptist, husband of Elizabeth, delivered the Benedictus in Luke 1:68-79

Saint

Saint Zechariah the Prophet

Traditions
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican
Patron of
priests, fathers

Eastern Orthodox tradition commemorates Zacharias the priest (father of John the Baptist) alongside Elizabeth. The Roman Catholic calendar commemorates Zechariah the prophet, and Zacharias with Elizabeth.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Zechariah has appeared in the SSA records mostly since the 1970s, with sparse presence before that. The name has held a Top 1000 position across most recent years and currently sits at #856 in the 2025 SSA data, part of the broader Hebrew Bible boy-name revival that has surfaced Elijah, Ezra, Levi, and other similarly-registered names. Zach as the everyday short form makes the full name accessible in modern American naming.

Recent US use

Zechariah in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#856
Peak rank
#636 in 2001
Recent trend
stable over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
55 (since 1971)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Zechariah

For a Christian family, Zechariah names either the priest father of John the Baptist or the Old Testament messianic prophet. Ranked #856 in US baby names in 2025, part of the rising Hebrew Bible boy-name cluster.

Common questions

What does Zechariah mean?

Zechariah is a Hebrew name meaning "Yahweh has remembered." It combines zakhar (to remember) with Yah (short form of Yahweh).

Is Zechariah a biblical name?

Yes. Two biblical figures carry the name: the post-exilic Old Testament prophet (Book of Zechariah, around 520 BC) and the New Testament priest father of John the Baptist (Luke 1).

Who was Zechariah in the Bible?

The most prominent biblical Zechariah is the New Testament priest father of John the Baptist, whose Luke 1 narrative includes the annunciation of John's birth and the Benedictus canticle. A separate Zechariah wrote the Old Testament prophetic book.

How popular is the name Zechariah?

Zechariah ranked #856 in US baby names in 2025, part of the broader Hebrew Bible boy-name revival that has surfaced Elijah, Ezra, and Levi.

Sources

Sources for Zechariah

  • A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, and BriggsSupports: Hebrew etymology (Zekharyah); meaning 'Yahweh has remembered'.
  • Luke, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: scripture context (Luke 1:13); biblical figure, priest father of John the Baptist.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Zechariah the Prophet.
  • National baby names data, US Social Security Administration (2025 release)Supports: US popularity.

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

ElizabethZechariah was the priest father of John the Baptist; Elizabeth was his wife and mother of John. Their Luke 1 narrative is the New Testament's first parallel to the Old Testament Hannah-and-Samuel pattern.JohnZechariah is John the Baptist's father. The naming scene at Luke 1:63 ("his name is John") restores Zechariah's speech and is one of the strongest naming moments in the New Testament.MaryElizabeth and Zechariah's story in Luke 1 immediately precedes the Annunciation to Mary. Elizabeth and Mary are described as kinswomen, tying the two families together.DanielBoth figures are named in prophetic apocalyptic literature. Zechariah the Old Testament prophet drew heavily on Daniel's visionary imagery for his own post-exilic messianic prophecies.MalachiBoth Zechariah and Malachi are post-exilic Old Testament prophets, contemporaries of Ezra and Nehemiah, whose books close the Old Testament canon.