Zadie

Zadie is associated with Sadie, the familiar form of Sarah, whose traditional Hebrew meaning is princess. Although its initial z can make it appear newly invented, Zadie was already in use long before its most famous modern bearer. Its older history places it among familiar-name forms that also became independent given names.

Writer Zadie Smith, born Sadie Smith, chose this spelling as a teenager and gave it a particularly strong literary association. Her use did not originate the name, but it helped make the exact form widely recognizable. Zadie can therefore serve as a Sarah-family connection or as a literary tribute. The relationship with Sadie is more established than treating it as a recent blend of Zara and other names.