Zen vs Alec

Baby Name Comparison — 2026

Zen

Boy #959 Most Popular 1 Syllable

"meditation, absorption"

Origin: Sanskrit via Japanese

Japanese Chinese American Buddhist

✓ All Clear

Boy #880 Most Popular 2 Syllables

"defender of men"

Origin: Greek

English Scottish American European

✓ All Clear

Zen Rank #959

Alec Rank #880

Alec is more popular, ranked #880 vs #959 for Zen.

Is Zen or Alec more popular?

Alec is more popular, ranked #880 compared to Zen at #959 in the United States.

What do Zen and Alec mean?

Zen means "meditation, absorption" (Sanskrit via Japanese origin). Alec means "defender of men" (Greek origin).

Are Zen and Alec boy or girl names?

Zen is primarily a boy name. Alec is primarily a boy name.