Zara

زَارَة

Girl Arabic /ZAR-ah/ #236 in 2023

Zara is a girl name of Arabic origin.

Meaning of Zara

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

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.

Popularity of Zara

Popularity, 1896–2023

1,283 births in 2023

1896 2023

18,157 U.S. births recorded from 1896–2023.

Peak year

2022

1,438 babies

First recorded

1896

127 years of history

Recent trend

Rising

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Variants & nicknames

ZarahZahraSara

Related guide

Arabic Names That Work in English Without Explanation

25 Arabic names that American teachers, doctors, and neighbors pronounce correctly on the first try. For families who want heritage without the daily spelling bee.

Read the full guide →

Famous people named Zara

Zara Phillips (British royal)
Zara Larsson (singer)

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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.