← All names

Zoya

Girl name · 175 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Zoya: 175 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 17 births in 2023.

From a Slavic root meaning "life", Zoya shares its origins with the Greek Zoe, blossoming in Russian and other Eastern European cultures as a vibrant, short form of names like Zoia or Zoislava. The most famous bearer is the Soviet World War II partisan Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya, who became a symbol of resistance after her capture and execution by Nazi forces. While no major places derive directly from Zoya, the name echoes in the shared Indo-European root that also gave us "vital" and "biology." A further note: Zoya has gained quiet popularity in Scotland in recent decades, often chosen by families with Eastern European heritage or those drawn to its concise, spirited sound.