Rising since 1985, #538 for girls today.
Popularity of Zahra since 1973
Babies named Zahra per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 111 |
| 1980s | 349 |
| 1990s | 688 |
| 2000s | 1,540 |
| 2010s | 3,645 |
| 2020s | 3,062 |
Meaning & origin
Zahra has seen a steady rise in popularity in the United States since the mid-1980s, climbing to its peak rank of 538 in 2025. The name first appeared on U.S. records in 1973, and its trajectory reflects growing interest among diverse communities. With a 1-in-2,860 frequency in 2025, Zahra is most popular in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, states with significant populations of Arabic-speaking and Muslim families. Its appeal crosses cultural lines, partly due to its simple yet elegant sound and positive meaning. The name's grounding in Arabic etymology and Islamic heritage gives it depth, while its modern usage in the West shows how traditional names can find new life in new contexts.
Zahra derives from the Arabic root z-h-r, meaning 'to shine' or 'to blossom.' It is directly related to the word 'zahra' (زهرة) meaning 'flower' or 'blossom.' The name is borne in Islamic tradition as an epithet of Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, often called 'Fatimah al-Zahra' (Fatimah the Radiant). It has been used across the Arabic-speaking world and among Muslim communities globally for centuries.
Where Zahra is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Zahra” around the world
Where Zahra lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
140
babies in 2024
Ireland
19
babies in 2025
New Zealand
22
babies in 2025
Quebec
21
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Zara, Zizi, Zah
Sibling names for Zahra
Names that share Zahra's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Amina, Layla, Noor, Fatima, Mariam, Aminah, Hala, Medina, Rihanna, Zaida, Alaa, Aseel, Asiyah, Aziza, Emaan, Jameelah, Khalani, Madina, Naima, Naimah, Najah, Nawal, Raniyah, Safiya, Saida, Sakina, Sumaya, Aaminah, Aicha, Alima, Ameenah, Annisa, Ayisha, Bushra, Habiba, Hadiya, Haleema, Hanaa, Jaiyana, Jamillah, Jumana, Kameelah, Karimah, Lamiyah, Lanasia, Lateefah, Madiha, Maleka, Maryama, Nadirah, Najma, Najwa, Nisreen, Normani, Raghad, Rasheda, Rasheedah, Raziya, Rehmat, Sabreen, Sabriya, Sadiya, Safiyah, Safiyyah, Saja, Sakinah, Salima, Shakirah, Sharifa, Sumayah, Tahani, Tariyah, Yaminah, Zalaya, Aamirah, Abiha, Afiya, Aliyyah, Aneesah, Ayshia, Azarah, Faduma, Fadumo, Halima, Hanifa, Ikhlas, Inayah, Jahlia, Jalila, Jalilah, Jamylah, Kamariah, Kareemah, Keliyah, Khadejah, Khalilah, Khamiya, Madinah, Malaak, Marium, Mariyam, Maryum, Naeema, Nafeesah, Nasra, Nusaiba, Nyaira, Nyemah, Rahima, Rahmah, Rayhana, Raziah, Raziyah, Rehana, Sabria, Sadiyah, Sagal, Saidah, Sakeena, Sakeenah, Saleema, Salimah, Sameerah, Saniyyah, Shahidah, Shaima, Shukri, Suhaylah, Suleima, Sumeya, Swayzie, Tahiri, Warda, Yamina, Zakirah, Zanyia, Idil, Jahnay, Soliha, Afifa, Afiyah, Ahnesti, Amiira, Bahja, Fahima, Fareeda, Fareedah, Farhiya, Ghalia, Hadija, Hajer, Hamda, Hanae, Haneefah, Hanifah, Haniyyah, Hasana, Hawwa, Hidaya, Intisar, Kalima, Karmani, Khaira, Khamil, Kowsar, Laveyah, Mahdiya, Marliyah, Marwah, Maymunah, Maysoon, Melaysia, Mubina, Munirah, Nafisah, Najat, Namirah, Narjis, Nasirah, Nazifa, Nazirah, Nimco, Nimo, Rasheema, Ruhee, Sahory, Samiyyah, Shahida, Sidratul, Suhailah, Suheily, Suheyla, Sukaina, Suleika, Taheerah, Talibah, Tauheedah, Zamzam
Brothers: Omar, Ali, Hassan, Yusuf, Idris, Ahmad, Bilal, Hasani, Kareem, Khalid, Nasir, Zakari, Abbas, Abdullahi, Jibril, Mikail, Naeem, Rehan, Salim, Shakur, Tahir, Wali, Yasir, Abdalla, Abrahim, Alim, Asaad, Dawud, Dekari, Hamad, Hanad, Haneef, Hanif, Hashem, Idrees, Jabar, Jabbar, Jafar, Jalal, Jamiel, Jatniel, Javid, Jhalil, Khaliq, Khamani, Latif, Liban, Mahamed, Mateen, Mehdi, Mousa, Mubarak, Mujtaba, Munir, Murad, Nahmir, Naseer, Nassir, Osama, Qasim, Reza, Sabir, Sahid, Sanad, Shaheed, Subhan, Talib, Yazid, Yonis, Younes, Zackaria, Abdou, Abdulhadi, Abrar, Ahmod, Alireza, Amiir, Ammaar, Araf, Ayoub, Basheer, Burhan, Daoud, Elishah, Ghazi, Hatim, Idriss, Ihsan, Jabri, Jahmai, Jahmeer, Jahsai, Jobani, Khairi, Kijuan, Lamine, Masud, Mikaeel, Muhsin, Muneer, Mustafo, Mustapha, Reyhan, Safi, Tacari, Tahjae, Tanvir, Zafir, Zyheir, Alija, Idrissa, Shahzad, Abas, Abdi, Abou, Amahd, Davud, Dawoud, Djibril, Hassani, Haytham, Hikeem, Ilyaas, Kaamil, Kassem, Kazim, Maleak, Muaad, Muhammadamin, Muhanad, Mumin, Mussa, Muzammil, Nahsir, Noman, Nooh, Nouh, Nyheem, Nyheim, Qaadir, Rasool, Razi, Saafir, Sadik, Seyed, Turki, Yussuf, Zahar, Zidaan
