Who is Faizan Zaki, Scripps National Spelling Bee 2025 winner?

Faizan Zaki has been crowned the champion of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 13-year-old clinched the title by correctly spelling the word éclaircissement in the final round. Sarvadnya Kadam finished as the runner-up. Along with the coveted Scripps Cup, Zaki takes home $50,000 in cash and a commemorative medal. He outspelled more than 240 top spellers from across the country to earn the championship.

Faizan Zaki, 13, of Dallas, Texas, holds the prize after winning the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., May 29, 2025. (REUTERS)

Also Read: National Spelling Bee champions say it set them up for success: ‘You attain a level of mastery’

Who is Faizan Zaki?

Zaki is 7th-grade student at C.M. Rice Middle School in Dallas, Texas. This was his fourth appearance at the national bee.

Zaki began his journey in 2019 when he was 7 years old. He tied for 370th place that year. He improved to 21st in 2023, and narrowly missed the title with a 2nd-place finish last year.

In a 2019 interview with ABC Action News, Zaki shared his love for science and astronomy.

“And my favorite thing about astronomy is like hypothetical objects like carbon stars and quasi stars,” he said at the time.

He also expressed a fondness for long, complex words.

Zaki’s parents, Zaki Anwar and Arshia Quadri, said their son’s interest in words started as a fun family activity.

“He loves it. I mean he loves the learning and words, and so that has been like, you know, it’s just been very easy,” his mother told the outlet at the time.

She added, “We just want him to be happy and, you know, experience that. You know the whole experience of going to the bee.”

His father said, “And if he can spell a few words there and get to a few rounds, then good for him, that would be amazing.”

Beyond spelling, Zaki enjoys video games, chatting with friends, and speed-solving Rubik’s Cubes. He is also currently learning French.