Farrah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "joyous" or "happy".
Name Census estimates that about 11,547 living Americans carry the first name Farrah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Farrah today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Farrah births was 1977 (1,515 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Farrah. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
12K
~ 1 in 29,683 Americans
Peak year
1977
1,515 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
1980 SSA rank
#1,150
Tracked since 1968
Gender
Gender distribution for Farrah
Out of the 11,991 babies given the name Farrah since 1880, 99.9% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Farrah as a male name
- Ranked #5,116 in 1980
- 7 male births in 1980
- Peak: 1980 (7 births)
Farrah as a female name
- Ranked #1,150 in 2024
- 209 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1977 (1,515 births)
Popularity
Farrah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Farrah from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 3,797 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Farrah by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Farrah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Farrahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 46 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Farrah, while Alaska, South Dakota, Idaho recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 204 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Farrah
The name Farrah has its origins in the Persian language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is believed to be derived from the Persian word "farr," which means "splendor" or "glory." The name was popular among the Persian nobility and aristocracy, often given to daughters as a symbol of their family's prestige and honor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Farrah can be found in the ancient Persian epic poem, the Shahnameh, written by the celebrated poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. In the epic, Farrah is mentioned as the daughter of a powerful king, highlighting the regal connotations of the name.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Farrah. One of the most famous was Farrah Diba (1938-present), the former Empress of Iran and the third wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. Her beauty and elegance made her an iconic figure in the 1960s and 1970s.
Another prominent figure was Farrah Fawcett (1947-2009), an American actress and model best known for her role in the television series "Charlie's Angels." Her stunning looks and feathered hairstyle made her a cultural icon in the 1970s and helped popularize the name Farrah in the Western world.
In ancient Egyptian history, Farrah was the name of a priestess who served in the temple of Isis during the reign of Ramses II (1279-1213 BC). She was renowned for her wisdom and spiritual guidance, and her name was inscribed on temple walls as a symbol of her devotion.
The name Farrah has also been associated with Islamic culture and history. One notable figure was Farrah Naaz (1957-present), an Indian actress and dancer who rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s in Bollywood films. Her name, which means "beauty" or "glamour" in Persian, reflected her on-screen persona and contributed to the popularity of the name in South Asia.
Farrah has been a popular name across various cultures and time periods, carrying connotations of beauty, splendor, and grace. Its rich history and cultural significance have made it a timeless and meaningful choice for parents seeking a name with a strong heritage and meaningful origins.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Farrah
People
Farrah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Farrah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Farrah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Farrah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11,547 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Farrah going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 29,683 US residents.
Is Farrah a common name?
We classify Farrah as "Uncommon". It ranks above 97.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11,991 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Farrah most popular?
The single biggest year for Farrah was 1977, when 1,515 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Farrah is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Farrah a female name?
Yes, 99.9% of people registered as Farrah in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.