Zia has more than one source: as an Arabic and Persian name, from ziya, it means "light" or "splendor"; in Italian it is the word for aunt; and in New Mexico it is the name of the Zia Pueblo, whose sun symbol appears on the state flag. The short, zippy sound puts it alongside Zoe, Gia and Mia. Zia has never entered the US top 1000; it reached number 1192 in 2024, its best year, and stands at number 1477 in 2025.