Total births
3,609
Girls' name · since 1986
Zahara
Since 1986, U.S. Social Security records show 3,609 babies named Zahara, peaking in 2021. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1204
- among girls today
- 3,609
- born since 1986
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other girls
Zahara currently ranks #1204 among girls' names in America, with 3,609 babies recorded since 1986.
Social Security Administration records show Zahara recorded 3,609 times among girls since 1986, holding rank #1204 nationally today, ahead of 93% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1986 to 2025.
- #1204 among girls today
- 3,609 born since 1986
- 2010s peak decade
- 93% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Zahara is currently the #1204 girls' name in America, more common than 93% of girls - 3,609 born since 1986, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1204
- among girls today
- 3,609
- born since 1986
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other girls
Zahara vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1204
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 93% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
43% of everyone ever named Zahara was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
202 babies were named Zahara in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Zahara compares
3,609 Top 16% higher than 84% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Zahara's all-time total is 9x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Zahara | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,609 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 202 | 48 | 19,840 |
Zahara's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Zahara splits its recorded history at 2006: 91% of all births land in the more recent half, 9% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1986 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2021 peak of 202 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Zahara at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#1,204
Active since
1986
Zahara popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1986–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 202
- Annual births at peak, across 40 years of records
Zahara by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Zahara's strongest decade.
1,538 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Zahara births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 30
1980s
30 births
- 1990s 114
1990s
114 births
- 2000s
2000s
808 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,538 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,119 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,538 births (43% of all-time use).
How Zahara compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Zahara's total volume
Zahara vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Zahara by state
Where Zahara concentrates geographically, total births since 1986
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 359 | 9.9% |
| #2 | New York | | 359 | 9.9% |
| #3 | Florida | | 288 | 8.0% |
| #4 | Texas | | 244 | 6.8% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 134 | 3.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 122 | 3.4% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 113 | 3.1% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 76 | 2.1% |
California share of Zahara's total US births 9.9%
Even split
359 of 3,609 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 28 reporting states.
Zahara appears in 28 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Zahara? ▼
Zahara has been given to 3,609 babies in the U.S. since 1986, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #1204 as of the latest data. 202 babies were born in 2021, its single highest year.
When was Zahara most popular? ▼
Zahara was most popular in the 2010s decade with 1,538 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Zahara most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Zahara are California (359 births), New York (359 births), Florida (288 births).
How long has the name Zahara been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Zahara since 1986 -- 40 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Zahara? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Zahra, Zahira, Zahraa, Zahria, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Zahara's data
- Zahara's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,538 total births) through the 2020s (1,119) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Zaharas (359 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Zahara
Nearby Names Like Zahara
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Zahara
Zahra Girl
#543 9,395 births
Zahira Girl
#3923 1,226 births
Zahraa Girl
#4337 1,090 births
Zahria Girl
#10643 979 births
Zahava Girl
#3778 848 births
Compare Zahara side by side: Zahara vs Zahra Zahara vs Zahira Zahara vs Zahraa
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Zahara
Isha #1203
5,151 births · Peak 2023
Jaylah #1205
10,661 births · Peak 2013
Mollie #1202
48,164 births · Peak 1915
Naiari #1206
506 births · Peak 2025
Kaydence #1201
17,574 births · Peak 2009
Joselyn #1207
18,214 births · Peak 2007
Wyatt #1200
1,362 births · Peak 2024
Jaylene #1208
10,133 births · Peak 2008
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1986–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Zahara: #1204 Girls' Name - 3,609 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/zahara. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Zahara draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.