Total births
9,465
Unisex name · since 1974
Zaire
9,465 babies named Zaire in U.S. Social Security records since 1974, with the highest year being 2023. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #470
- among boys today
- 9,465
- born since 1974
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
9,465 babies have been named Zaire since 1974, making it today's #470 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Zaire recorded 9,465 times among boys since 1974, holding rank #470 nationally today, ahead of 97% of boys, peaking in the 2020s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1974 to 2025.
- #470 among boys today
- 9,465 born since 1974
- 2020s peak decade
- 97% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Zaire is currently the #470 unisex name in America, more common than 97% of boys - 9,465 born since 1974, peaking in the 2020s.
- #470
- among boys today
- 9,465
- born since 1974
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
Zaire vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#470
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 97% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
38% of everyone ever named Zaire was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
655 babies were named Zaire in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Zaire compares
9,465 Top 9% higher than 91% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Zaire's all-time total is 26x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Zaire | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 9,465 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 655 | 23 | 22,252 |
Zaire's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Zaire's full recorded timeline at 2001, 89% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 11% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1980, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2023 peak of 655 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Zaire at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2023
Current rank
#470
Active since
1974
Zaire popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1974–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 655
- Annual births at peak, across 52 years of records
Zaire popularity over time - girls
1,432 total births recorded since 1975 (Zaire as girls' name)
Zaire by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Zaire's strongest decade.
3,625 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Zaire births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 63
1970s
63 births
- 1980s 44
1980s
44 births
- 1990s 732
1990s
732 births
- 2000s
2000s
2,125 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,876 births
- 2020s
2020s
3,625 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 3,625 births (38% of all-time use).
How Zaire compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Zaire's total volume
Zaire vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Zaire by state
Where Zaire concentrates geographically, total births since 1974
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 1,086 | 11.5% |
| #2 | California | | 765 | 8.1% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 659 | 7.0% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 653 | 6.9% |
| #5 | New Jersey | | 616 | 6.5% |
| #6 | Florida | | 598 | 6.3% |
| #7 | Texas | | 570 | 6.0% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 410 | 4.3% |
New York share of Zaire's total US births 11.5%
Even split
1,086 of 9,465 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Zaire appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Zaire? ▼
Zaire has been given to 9,465 babies in the U.S. since 1974, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #470 as of the latest data. 655 babies were born in 2023, its single highest year.
When was Zaire most popular? ▼
Zaire was most popular in the 2020s decade with 3,625 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Zaire most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Zaire are New York (1,086 births), California (765 births), Georgia (659 births).
Is Zaire a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Zaire is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 9,465 births, and as a girl's name it has 1,432 births.
How long has the name Zaire been used? ▼
Records for Zaire go back to 1974, giving 52 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Zaire? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Zaiden, Zain, Zaid, Zaine, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Zaire's data
- New York records the most Zaires (1,086 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Zaire
Nearby Names Like Zaire
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Zaire
Zaiden Boy
#574 11,550 births
Zain Boy
#557 9,918 births
Zaid Boy
#660 7,460 births
Zaine Boy
#2226 2,000 births
Zaidyn Boy
#1596 1,672 births
Compare Zaire side by side: Zaire vs Zaiden Zaire vs Zain Zaire vs Zaid
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Zaire
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, 1974–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Zaire: #470 Unisex Name - 9,465 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/zaire. 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 Zaire 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.