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Updated August 7, 2024

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Girl name origins & meanings

  • Arabic: Blooming flower; radiance 
  • Hebrew : Princess, lady

What Does Zara Mean and Stand For? 

The name Zara has roots in both Hebrew and Arabic. In Hebrew, it is a variation of the biblical name Sarah, who was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. In Arabic, it is a variation of the word Zahrah which means "radiance." 

 

Syllables: 2

How Popular Is The Name Zara

Family name origins & meanings

  • Italian : habitational name from the Italian name for the city of Zadar on the Dalmatian coast in former Yugoslavia.
  • Italian : in Sicily, possibly from a variant of zagara, zagra, zaara ‘orange flower’, or, in Venezia, possibly a variant of Zadra.
  • Spanish : probably a metronymic from the female personal name Sara, Zara (see Sara).
  • Basque : topographic name from Basque zara ‘wood’, ‘thicket’.

Famous people who gave their babies this name

What Does the Name Zara Mean? 

Zara is a girls' name of Arabic and Hebrew origin, meaning "blooming flower" and "princess," respectively. It is either derived from the biblical Sarah, or from the Arabic word Zahrah, meaning "radiance."

It has become a popular girls' name in the U.S. in the last 15 years, and is most associated with the clothing retailer of the same name. 

How Popular is the Name Zara? 

Zara is the #215 most popular girls' name in the U.S., according to Social Security Administration data. It has been gaining rapid momentum since 2005, with no sign of slowing down. It ranks #6 on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Zara was at its peak popularity in November 2021. 

Popularity of the Name Zara in the United States

Zara was searched for most often in the following states: 

  • New York 
  • District of Columbia 
  • New Jersey 
  • California 
  • Maryland 

Famous People Named Zara and Zara in Pop Culture 

Famous Zara's include Swedish singer Zara Larsson, and Equestrian Olympian Zara Tindall Phillips, daughter of British Princess Anne (and granddaughter of the Queen of England). 

In pop culture, the name Zara is most widely associated with the Spanish clothing company of the same name. Zara is a popular name for TV characters, and features in show such as Switched at Birth, Law and Order: SVU, and British soap opera Hollyoaks

Pairs Well with These Middle Names 

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