Zephaniah is a Hebrew name, Tsefanyah, meaning "the Lord has hidden" or "treasured by God", and it belongs to one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. The Puritans used it in colonial New England, and today it appeals to parents who like long biblical names with the nickname Zeph. Zephaniah has never entered the US top 1000; it reached number 1143 in 2019 and ranks 1458 in 2025.