Fun Facts About the Name Pharah
- 109 babies named Pharah: U.S. records list 109 babies given the name Pharah from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Pharah Mean?
Pharah is a spelling variant of the Arabic feminine name Farah (فَرَح), which means "joy," "happiness," or "gladness." The name is built on the Arabic root f-r-ḥ, whose verb fariḥa means "to rejoice" or "to be glad," so the literal sense of the noun is the feeling of joy rather than a symbolic or figurative trait.
The spelling with ph represents the same /f/ sound as the Arabic letter ف. It is an English-language rendering of the name, not a separate Arabic form; Arabic, Persian, and Urdu all write the name with a plain f sound in their own scripts. The more common Latin-alphabet transliterations are Farah and Farrah.
Pharah Name History & Origins
The name comes from Arabic, where farah is an ordinary word for joy and was also used as a feminine given name in the Arabic-speaking world. From Arabic it passed into other languages of the region. In Persian the name appears as Farah (فرح); Farah Diba, who became Empress of Iran on her marriage to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1959, is a well-known bearer. In South Asia the name Farah is also common among Urdu speakers.
Because these languages use Arabic, Persian, and Urdu scripts, Latin-letter spellings vary with the transliteration system, producing forms such as Farah and Farrah. The spelling Pharah, using ph for the /f/ sound in the manner of Greek-derived English words, is a less common English rendering. It gained wider visibility as the name of the rocket-launching hero in the video game Overwatch, introduced in 2016, whose in-game full name is Fareeha Amari. That is a recent and prominent use of this spelling rather than the origin of the name, which long predates it in Arabic and Persian usage.
How Popular is the Name Pharah?
Pharah has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2018. Its best rank was #7,336 in 2018.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #14,508 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #14,810 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #10,950 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #11,976 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #10,924 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #13,129 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #13,454 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #7,336 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2017 | #10,523 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #15,778 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #18,891 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #14,480 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #13,177 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #19,800 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Pharah Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a power of expression, either in speaking or writing. You are in favor for studying and research. You are clever, clear-sighted and intellectual. You don't like to let others know your true feelings. You might be atheistic or agnostic. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Pharah's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Pharah's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.