From Greek 'zoe' meaning 'life'; used in the Greek Bible to translate the Hebrew name Eve.
Zoe comes directly from the Greek word zoe, meaning "life." Unlike many names that passed through layers of translation before becoming familiar, Zoe has always remained remarkably transparent: its meaning is still visible in its sound and spelling. In early Christian history the word had theological depth, since Greek texts of the New Testament used zoe for spiritual and eternal life as well as earthly vitality.
That gave the name an unusually luminous quality. It was used in the Byzantine world and borne by empresses, including Zoe Porphyrogenita in the eleventh century, whose life at court helped keep the name visible in imperial and religious memory. In the West, Zoe drifted in and out of use, often feeling more literary or cosmopolitan than commonplace.
It revived strongly in the nineteenth century and then again in the late twentieth, when parents increasingly favored short names with bright sounds and clear meanings. The diaeresis sometimes seen in Zoë reflects an older spelling convention to show that both vowels are pronounced, though modern usage often drops the mark without changing the sound. Today Zoe feels lively, international, and contemporary, yet it has one of the oldest meanings any name can claim. Its appeal lies partly in that paradox: a name from ancient Greek that sounds crisp and modern, carrying with it not just the idea of life, but of energy, vividness, and renewal.