Zoe

Few names wear their meaning as openly as Zoe. It is simply the Ancient Greek word for life, zoe, and German Wiktionary notes that it refers to life as existence and lifespan rather than to a way of living, which Greek called bios. Behind the Name records that Greek-speaking Jews used it to render the name Eve, itself connected with life in Hebrew. From there it passed to early Christians and became common throughout the Byzantine world.

In English the name is a comparatively late arrival. According to Behind the Name it has been used in the English-speaking world only since the 19th century, having long been more at home among Eastern Christians. English Wiktionary gives the British pronunciation as 'ZOH-ee', with two syllables, although a single-syllable 'Zoh' is also heard.

Spelling is the big decision. Zoe is the plain form; Zoë, with a diaeresis over the e, signals that the vowels are said separately, and is the standard spelling in Dutch. French uses Zoé, Italian and German Zoe, Catalan Zoè, while Slavic languages have Zoja or Zoya and modern Greek Zoi. Zoey and Zoie are English respellings that spell out the sound.

Being short and bright, Zoe works well with a longer, softer middle name, such as Zoe Annabel, Zoe Matilda or Zoe Elizabeth. For brothers and sisters, try names with a similar crisp feel: Ivy, Ella or Mila for a girl, Finn, Felix or Lucas for a boy.