Fun Facts About the Name Zakir
- 611 babies named Zakir: U.S. records list 611 babies given the name Zakir from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Zakir Mean?
Zakir is an Arabic name meaning "one who remembers" or "one who mentions." It is the active participle of the verb dhakara (ذَكَرَ), "to remember, to mention," built on the root dh - k - r. The participle itself is dhākir (ذَاكِر); the form Zakir reflects the way the Arabic letter dhāl (ذ) is pronounced as a plain z in Persian, Urdu, and Egyptian Arabic.
In ordinary use the word describes a person who remembers or mentions something. In Islamic religious usage it is tied to dhikr, the remembrance and invocation of God, so the name is customarily understood as "one who remembers God." That devotional reading is an interpretation of the name's meaning in religious context, not a separate etymology. Zakir is unrelated to the Hebrew-derived name Zakariya (Zachariah), despite the similar opening syllables.
Zakir Name History & Origins
The name goes back to the Arabic participle dhākir, formed from the same root ḏ - k - r that gives dhikr (remembrance) and dhākirah (memory). Participles of this shape are standard Arabic vocabulary, and names formed from this root belong to the long-standing Arabic naming tradition that spread with the language of the Quran, trade, and scholarship.
As Arabic naming customs moved into Persian-, Turkic-, and Urdu-speaking regions, the letter dhāl was regularly pronounced z, and the name was written and spoken as Zakir rather than Dhakir. It is common among Muslims in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, and it also occurs in Arabic-speaking countries in the forms Dhakir or Zakir, depending on local pronunciation.
Among documented bearers are Zakir Husain (1897 - 1969), the Indian educationist who served as the country's third president, and the tabla player Zakir Hussain (born 1951). The name often appears in the compound Zakir Hussain. It remains distinct in origin from Zakariya, Zachary, and similar-sounding names derived from Hebrew.
How Popular is the Name Zakir?
Zakir 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 2015. Its best rank was #3,144 in 2015.
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 | #4,047 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2024 | #4,051 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2023 | #5,067 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2022 | #7,246 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #5,104 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2020 | #4,270 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2019 | #4,800 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2018 | #4,220 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2017 | #3,886 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2016 | #4,466 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2015 | #3,144 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2014 | #4,387 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #4,060 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2012 | #3,297 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2011 | #4,350 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2010 | #4,238 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2009 | #3,637 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 2008 | #4,897 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2007 | #8,161 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #6,087 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2005 | #6,625 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #3,734 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2003 | #4,813 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #5,720 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #10,543 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #6,310 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #6,523 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #6,833 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #8,100 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #6,987 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #7,761 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #10,157 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #5,654 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #9,479 | 5 | 0.0002% |
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 Zakir 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 are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Zakir's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Zakir's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.