Zara
A 20th-century variant of Sarah, or explained as Arabic زَهْرَة (zahra, “flower”); given to the daughter of Princess Anne in 1981.
Every Zara since 1896 — 20,930 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Zara
Zara is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #212 in 2025 with 1,432 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1896, 20,930 American babies have been named Zara. Its peak came in 2022, when 1,441 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Zara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Zara year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,432 | #212 |
| 2024 | 1,333 | #234 |
| 2023 | 1,285 | #236 |
| 2022 | 1,441 | #201 |
| 2021 | 1,413 | #212 |
| 2020 | 1,335 | #217 |
| 2019 | 1,321 | #239 |
| 2018 | 1,282 | #254 |
| 2017 | 1,157 | #283 |
| 2016 | 1,024 | #319 |
| 2015 | 809 | #402 |
| 2014 | 765 | #421 |
| 2013 | 630 | #484 |
| 2012 | 537 | #552 |
| 2011 | 449 | #635 |
| 2010 | 393 | #719 |
| 2009 | 367 | #775 |
| 2008 | 376 | #782 |
| 2007 | 408 | #718 |
| 2006 | 312 | #857 |
| 2005 | 270 | #924 |
| 2004 | 179 | #1,230 |
| 2003 | 222 | #1,034 |
| 2002 | 145 | #1,344 |
| 2001 | 142 | #1,355 |
| 2000 | 121 | #1,517 |
| 1995 | 64 | #2,124 |
| 1990 | 66 | #2,052 |
| 1985 | 31 | #3,006 |
| 1980 | 31 | #2,939 |
| 1975 | 26 | #2,880 |
| 1970 | 19 | #3,433 |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | 7 | #5,692 |
| 1955 | 9 | #4,373 |
| 1950 | 5 | #6,103 |
| 1945 | 6 | #4,553 |
| 1940 | 11 | #2,734 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,889 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 14 | #2,615 |
| 1920 | 11 | #3,091 |
| 1915 | 21 | #1,671 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,769 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,927 |
| 1900 | 9 | #1,429 |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Zara
- Zara Yaqob Politician · 1399–1468
- Zara Dolukhanova Singer · 1918–2007
- Zara Whites Religious figure · b. 1968
- Zara Tindall Nobleman · b. 1981
- Zara Larsson Singer · b. 1997
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Zara mean?
A 20th-century variant of Sarah, or explained as Arabic زَهْرَة (zahra, “flower”); given to the daughter of Princess Anne in 1981.
How popular is the name Zara in 2025?
Zara ranked #212 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,432 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Zara?
20,930 babies have been named Zara in the United States since 1896, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Zara most popular?
Zara peaked in 2022, when 1,441 newborns received the name.
Is Zara a boy or girl name?
Zara is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Zara rising or falling?
Zara is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Zara?
Well-known people named Zara include Zara Yaqob (politician), Zara Dolukhanova (singer), Zara Whites (religious figure).