There are a few theories behind the name of Zakiganj. The first is that is derived from Shah Zaki, a pir who established a khanqah on the banks of the Kushiyara River. A "ganj", Perso-Bengali suffix meaning 'marketplace' or 'neighbourhood', was then set up around the khanqah. In memory of Shah Zaki, nearby places are named Pirerkhal and the village Pirerchok. Another theory is that it is named after a man named Ghulam Zaki Majumdar, whose brother Karim Majumdar is who Karimganj district is said to have been named after.