Meaning & Origin
A male given name from Hebrew.
Zacchaeus is a boy's baby name of Hebrew origin, from the Hebrew Zakkai, meaning 'pure' or 'innocent' — related to the Hebrew root zaka, to be pure or clean. In the New Testament, Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector in Jericho who famously climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, who then dined at his house and changed his life.
Zacchaeus is one of the most narratively vivid names in the New Testament — the story of the small man climbing a tree to see Jesus is one of the most beloved in scripture, and his subsequent transformation makes the name one of dramatic change and grace. For parents who love biblical names with real stories, Zacchaeus is extraordinary.