Zaair
A name of Arabic origin meaning "visitor" or "traveller".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Zaair. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zaair today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zaair births was 2018 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zaair. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Zaair. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
2018
7 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2018 SSA rank
#10,725
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Zaair: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zaair 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 Zaair during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zaair
The name Zaair traces its origins back to the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "zaahir," which means "radiant" or "shining." This name was likely first used in the Middle East and North Africa regions during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century CE.
Zaair is a variation of the more common Arabic name Zahir, which has similar roots and meanings. While the name does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its connection to the Arabic language and Islamic culture suggests it may have been used by Arab scholars, poets, or other influential figures during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Zaair can be found in the writings of Ibn Khaldun, a 14th-century Arab historian and philosopher. He mentions a person named Zaair ibn Abi Bakr, who was a renowned scholar and mathematician from Seville, Spain.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zaair. For instance, Zaair al-Qazvini (1203-1283) was a Persian physician and scholar who wrote extensively on medicine, astronomy, and philosophy. Another prominent figure was Zaair al-Jurjani (1339-1413), a Persian scholar and grammarian known for his contributions to the study of Arabic language and literature.
In the realm of literature, Zaair al-Samarkandi (1155-1222) was a Persian poet and mystic who composed several works in Arabic and Persian. His poetic verses were highly acclaimed and influential during his time.
Moving to more recent history, Zaair al-Abidine Ben Ali (1936-2019) was the former President of Tunisia, who ruled the country from 1987 to 2011. Although his leadership was controversial, he played a significant role in Tunisian politics for over two decades.
Another notable figure with the name Zaair was Zaair Ahmad Khan (1872-1936), an Indian Muslim scholar, and politician who served as the President of the All-India Muslim League and played a key role in the Indian independence movement.
While the name Zaair may not be as common today, its rich historical roots and connections to Arabic culture, literature, and scholarship make it a name with a significant legacy.
People
Zaair + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zaair as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zaair: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zaair?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zaair 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Zaair a common name?
We classify Zaair as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zaair most popular?
The single biggest year for Zaair was 2018, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zaair is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Zaair in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zaair a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zaair in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Zaair still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zaair in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Zaair can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Zaair?
You can see how many people have the name Zaair on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.