Fun Facts About the Name Zahra
- More than 9 thousand babies named Zahra: U.S. records list 9,393 babies given the name Zahra from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Zahra Mean?
Zahra is an Arabic feminine name whose usual meaning is "flower" or "blossom," from the Arabic word zahra (زهرة). That word belongs to the root ز-ه-ر (z-h-r), whose senses include shining, glowing, and coming into bloom, so the ideas of a blossom and of brightness are joined in the same root.
A closely related form is zahrāʾ (زهراء), the feminine of azhar (أزهر), meaning "bright," "shining," or "radiant." This is the form behind the honorific al-Zahra (الزهراء), "the Radiant," applied to Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Because the English spelling "Zahra" can stand for either زهرة or the Persian and Urdu زهرا, the name is commonly understood both as "flower" and as "radiant," a literal word meaning paired with the customary sense drawn from the honorific.
Zahra Name History & Origins
Zahra came into wide use as a personal name through its link to Fatimah al-Zahra, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and wife of Ali. The title al-Zahra, "the Radiant," is especially important in Shia tradition, where Fatimah holds a central place, and the name Zahra is given to daughters in her honor. From Arabic the name traveled with Islam into Persian-, Turkish-, and Urdu-speaking regions. Persian writes it زهرا, Turkish uses the form Zehra, and in South Asia the name appears in Urdu as زہرا alongside زہرہ.
The same Arabic root produced other familiar words. The planet Venus is al-Zuhrah (الزهرة) in Arabic and Zohreh (زهره) in Persian, named for its brightness, and the Cairo mosque and university al-Azhar (الأزهر) is traditionally said to take its name from Fatimah al-Zahra. These are related words rather than the given name itself, but they show the root's sense of radiance running through both Arabic and Persian usage.
How Popular is the Name Zahra?
Zahra recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #540 in 2025.
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 | #540 | 562 | 0.0350% |
| 2024 | #543 | 556 | 0.0345% |
| 2023 | #555 | 546 | 0.0341% |
| 2022 | #606 | 491 | 0.0300% |
| 2021 | #700 | 412 | 0.0251% |
| 2020 | #592 | 493 | 0.0305% |
| 2019 | #595 | 511 | 0.0305% |
| 2018 | #588 | 520 | 0.0306% |
| 2017 | #655 | 455 | 0.0264% |
| 2016 | #680 | 433 | 0.0244% |
| 2015 | #691 | 411 | 0.0230% |
| 2014 | #917 | 295 | 0.0165% |
| 2013 | #901 | 285 | 0.0162% |
| 2012 | #955 | 267 | 0.0152% |
| 2011 | #1,018 | 246 | 0.0140% |
| 2010 | #1,114 | 222 | 0.0125% |
| 2009 | #1,153 | 220 | 0.0120% |
| 2008 | #1,324 | 187 | 0.0099% |
| 2007 | #1,211 | 208 | 0.0108% |
| 2006 | #1,461 | 153 | 0.0080% |
| 2005 | #1,300 | 172 | 0.0093% |
| 2004 | #1,607 | 122 | 0.0066% |
| 2003 | #1,431 | 139 | 0.0076% |
| 2002 | #1,583 | 118 | 0.0066% |
| 2001 | #1,684 | 108 | 0.0060% |
| 2000 | #1,576 | 113 | 0.0062% |
| 1999 | #1,803 | 89 | 0.0050% |
| 1998 | #1,733 | 92 | 0.0052% |
| 1997 | #1,594 | 101 | 0.0058% |
| 1996 | #1,766 | 85 | 0.0048% |
| 1995 | #1,775 | 82 | 0.0047% |
| 1994 | #2,625 | 48 | 0.0027% |
| 1993 | #2,675 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 1992 | #2,350 | 56 | 0.0030% |
| 1991 | #2,841 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 1990 | #2,568 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 1989 | #2,369 | 50 | 0.0027% |
| 1988 | #2,801 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1987 | #2,275 | 48 | 0.0028% |
| 1986 | #2,511 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 1985 | #2,362 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 1984 | #3,068 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1983 | #2,359 | 41 | 0.0025% |
| 1982 | #3,341 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1981 | #4,004 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1980 | #5,245 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1979 | #3,332 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 1978 | #3,281 | 24 | 0.0016% |
| 1977 | #4,424 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #5,210 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #5,513 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #4,224 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1973 | #6,662 | 8 | 0.0005% |
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.
Explore More Lists with Name Zahra
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with Z
Unique Short Girl Names That Start with Z
How the Name Zahra Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have aspiration and inspiration, hope and guidance. Since you are intuitive and perceptive and you understand human nature. You have the power to achieve. Diplomacy and discretion make you a good mediator. You are inspired, introspective, and have a good understanding of the human heart. You can have the ability to commercialize your artistic talents successfully. You are often a mystery to others and to yourself. You are always reaching for something higher, without exactly knowing what that "higher" is. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Zahra's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Zahra's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.