Where does the name Zara come from?

Zara is a girl name of Arabic origin. Fashion-brand recognition (Zara retail) gives this name easy US readability.

Is Zara a boy or a girl name?

Zara is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 18,165 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How popular is the name Zara in 2023?

Zara ranks #236 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2022 with 1,441 babies.

How do you pronounce Zara?

Zara is pronounced ZAR-ah (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Zara?

Zara is also written as Zarah, Zahra, Sara.

A name from Arabic · Girl

Zara

زَارَة

"Blooming flower; radiant, shining." Related to Zahra and the Arabic root for blossoming. Also a Hebrew-origin name ("princess," variant of Sarah).

Compare

Popularity over time

A 127-year arc in numbers.

18,165 U.S. births recorded from 1896–2023.

Popularity · 1896–2023

1,285 births in 2023

1896 1959 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

Z"Blooming flower; radiant, shining." Related to Zahra and the Arabic root for blossoming. Also a Hebrew-origin name ("princess," variant of Sarah).

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: z-h-r — ز-ه-ر, to flower, shine

Regional variants

Fashion-brand recognition (Zara retail) gives this name easy US readability. Popular with Pakistani-American, Iranian-American, and British-Muslim families.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Zara".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Zarah Most common Zahra Sara

Related guides

People who carry the name Zara.

Z
Zara Phillips (British royal)
Z
Zara Larsson (singer)

Quick answers

People often ask about Zara.

What does the name Zara mean?: Zara means "Blooming flower; radiant, shining." Related to Zahra and the Arabic root for blossoming. Also a Hebrew-origin name ("princess," variant of Sarah).
Where does the name Zara come from?: Zara is a girl name of Arabic origin. Fashion-brand recognition (Zara retail) gives this name easy US readability.
Is Zara a boy or a girl name?: Zara is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 18,165 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How popular is the name Zara in 2023?: Zara ranks #236 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2022 with 1,441 babies.
How do you pronounce Zara?: Zara is pronounced ZAR-ah (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Zara?: Zara is also written as Zarah, Zahra, Sara.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.

Zara

A 127-year arc in numbers.

A name that means something.

3 ways to spell "Zara".

Read more in the Almanac.

Arabic Names That Work in English Without Explanation

People who carry the name Zara.

People often ask about Zara.

If you love Zara, also consider…

About this page