How popular is the baby name Zoe in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Zoe.

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Popularity of the baby name Zoe


Posts that mention the name Zoe

Zoe Renault threatens lawsuit over Renault Zoe

Remember all that Renault Zoe drama?

Well, a 23-year-old Parisian woman named Zoe Renault is now threatening to sue over the name of the car.

Her lawyer, who also represents other Zoes, says his clients see the car name “as a violation of their personalities.” He plans to take the case to court if Renault doesn’t change the name.

Update, Nov. 2010: “Renault can name a new car model Zoe, a French judge has ruled – throwing out a case brought by the parents of two girls called Zoe Renault.” (BBC)

Sources: Renault urged to scrap car name Zoe, Renault in row with student over name

Quebec allows baby to be named Zöé

Kriystal Gray of Montreal wanted to name her one-month-old daughter Zoé (pronounced zo-AY). But she also wanted her daughter’s name to stand out. So what did she do? She decided to spell it Zöé.

At first, the government of Quebec rejected Zöé and its gratuitous diacritic. Article 108 of the Civil Code of Quebec states that:

Where a name contains characters, diacritical signs or a combination of a character and a diacritical sign that are not used for the writing of French or English, the name must be transcribed into French or English, at the option of the interested person.

In French, the diaeresis mark is typically used to change the sound of the second of two vowels (as in naïve). And you’ll never find one over an o. So the diaeresis mark in Zöé doesn’t make sense at all.

Despite this, and despite its initial ruling, the government later reversed its stance and approved the name.

What do you think: Are the dots a big deal? Why or why not? Would you have approved or rejected this name?

Sources:

French parents angered by new Renault car named Zoé

Renault Zoe

The Zoé is a new electric car from Renault. According to a company spokesperson, its name “evokes values of femininity, of youth, a playful spirit and vivacity” and is a reference to the word zero, as in zero emissions.

But French parents with daughters named Zoé aren’t too pleased with the name. “It is a scandal that they are able to use common first names for products,” says one. “It is completely wrong that Renault should take the name of a woman — of my daughter — for a car, a marketing product,” says another. Some have started online petitions, demanding a name-change for the vehicle. Others have sent complaints directly to Renault.

Do you think the parents are overreacting, or do you think their complaints are justified?

Source: French parents unite against Renault as it christens new car Zoé, Renault angers young French couples by naming its new car Zoé

It’s not Zowie Bowie, it’s Duncan Jones

Those of us who follow celebrity baby names know all the oldies: Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet, Diva…Fifi, Peaches, Little Pixie…River, Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, Summer…and, of course, Zowie.

Zowie Bowie, the son of singer David Bowie, was born in 1971 in London.

As it turns out, though, he’s not really named Zowie. His legal name is Duncan Zowie Hayward Jones. (His father’s name is also not original: David Bowie was born David Jones.)

Duncan went by “Zowie” as a child, “Joe” or “Joey” as a teen, and has been called Duncan ever since.

Duncan’s mother invented the name “Zowie” by altering the spelling of Zoë to make it seem more masculine.

How does Duncan sum up the media’s obsession with his name?

They latched on to Zowie and the fact it rhymed with Bowie. Easy laughs.

Despite this, he seems to have adjusted well, though. He’s now a movie director, and his debut film, Moon, is currently out in theaters.

Source: There is rhyme — and reason — to Duncan Jones’ name