Zahara
Girl name · #1290 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Zahara? In official American birth records, Zahara has been tracked continuously since 1986, giving it 39 years of documented American history.
Zahara ranks #1290 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 174 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1416, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,345 girls born in 2025 was named Zahara.
Babies named Zahara per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 39-year story
Zahara first appears in the Social Security records in 1986, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 202 girls were named Zahara — good for #1197 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Zahara against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zahara in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zahara is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zahara will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zahara is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zahara is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Zahara is most common in PA (0.2 per 1,000), OH (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Zahara is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Zahara
Statistically, parents drawn to Zahara tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zamara, Inara, Klara, Zamira, and Chiara.
ZamaraInaraKlaraZamiraChiaraZamoraAmeeraNaiara
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zahara | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 174 | #1285 |
| 2024 | 197 | #1202 |
| 2023 | 181 | #1269 |
| 2022 | 202 | #1190 |
| 2021 | 202 | #1197 |
| 2020 | 163 | #1349 |
| 2019 | 165 | #1366 |
| 2018 | 150 | #1461 |
| 2017 | 160 | #1422 |
| 2016 | 166 | #1403 |
| 2015 | 163 | #1416 |
| 2014 | 135 | #1590 |
| 2013 | 137 | #1570 |
| 2012 | 159 | #1432 |
| 2011 | 151 | #1480 |
| 2010 | 152 | #1481 |
| 2009 | 148 | #1528 |
| 2008 | 160 | #1468 |
| 2007 | 134 | #1655 |
| 2006 | 173 | #1342 |
| 2005 | 81 | #2239 |
| 2004 | 24 | #5208 |
| 2003 | 31 | #4220 |
| 2002 | 16 | #6698 |
| 2001 | 24 | #4834 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zahara?
In official American birth records, the name Zahara first appeared in 1986 (over 39 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 39 years.
Is Zahara a popular girl name?
Zahara ranked #1290 among girls in 2025 with 174 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1416.
When was the name Zahara most popular?
Zahara peaked in 2021, when 202 American girls received the name (ranked #1197 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Zahara?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,345 newborn American girls was named Zahara. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.