Rising since 2020, #11,932 for girls today.
Popularity of Zerah since 2006
Babies named Zerah per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2015, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Zerah's real moment was 2022.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 25 |
| 2010s | 52 |
| 2020s | 32 |
Meaning & origin
Zerah is a rare biblical name that has recently seen a modest uptick in usage. It first appeared on U.S. records in 2006, and by 2025 it ranked 11,932 with an incidence of 1 in 229,610 births. The name reached its peak popularity in 2022, and its trajectory has been rising since 2020, suggesting growing interest among parents seeking distinctive biblical names. Despite its low overall frequency, Zerah has demonstrated a clear upward trend in the 2020s. As a unisex name, it appears in the Bible for both males and females, though male bearers predominate. Its meaning is uncertain but often associated with radiance or dawn, adding to its appeal for those drawn to luminous imagery. The name has not been strongly associated with any particular U.S. state, reflecting its broad but sparse distribution.
Zerah appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of several individuals, including a son of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38:30). The name is sometimes linked to the Hebrew root z-r-ch, meaning 'to rise' or 'to shine', suggesting a meaning of 'shining one' or 'sunrise'. However, this etymology is not universally accepted. In modern times, Zerah has seen occasional use in English-speaking countries, likely inspired by its biblical presence.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Zerach, Zérach
Sibling names for Zerah
Names that share Zerah's style, for a brother or sister.
