Zada
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "fortunate" or "prosperous".
Name Census estimates that about 1,637 living Americans carry the first name Zada. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zada today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zada births was 2006 (96 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zada. 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
1.6K
~ 1 in 209,380 Americans
Peak year
2006
96 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,921
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Zada: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zada from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 704 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zada 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 Zada during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zadas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. Texas, Florida, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Zada, while Virginia, Missouri, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 22 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zada
The given name Zada has its origins in the Arabic language. It is believed to have emerged as a feminine form of the Arabic name Zaid, which means "increase" or "abundance." This name gained popularity in the Middle East and North Africa during the medieval period, particularly among Arabic-speaking communities.
Zada can also be traced back to the Persian language, where it is believed to have roots in the word "zadeh," which means "born" or "descendant." This connection suggests that the name may have been used to signify lineage or familial ties in certain Persian cultures.
In Islamic history, there are records of several notable figures bearing the name Zada. One example is Zada al-Baghdadi, a renowned scholar of Islamic jurisprudence and hadith who lived in the 11th century. Another notable bearer of the name was Zada al-Basri, a celebrated Sufi mystic and poet from the 9th century.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Zada can be found in medieval Arabic manuscripts and historical chronicles. One such example is the mention of Zada bint al-Hakam, a prominent female figure in the early Islamic era, who was known for her wisdom and knowledge of Islamic teachings.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zada:
1. Zada Chalabi (1880-1963), an Iraqi politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Iraq from 1935 to 1937.
2. Zada Qizilbash (1923-2009), a renowned Pakistani artist and painter who was acclaimed for her vibrant and expressive works depicting rural life in Pakistan.
3. Zada Khan (1670-1738), a Mughal nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the struggles for power during the decline of the Mughal Empire.
4. Zada Ammin (1908-1994), an Egyptian writer and feminist who was a prominent figure in the literary circles of Cairo and a champion of women's rights in the early 20th century.
5. Zada Baksh (1832-1895), an Indian Muslim scholar and educator who was instrumental in the establishment of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which later became the Aligarh Muslim University.
These examples illustrate the historical significance and cultural diversity associated with the name Zada, which has been borne by individuals from various backgrounds and regions throughout the centuries.
People
Zada + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zada 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
Zada: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zada?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,637 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zada 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 209,380 US residents.
Is Zada a common name?
We classify Zada as "Rare". It ranks above 92.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,079 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zada most popular?
The single biggest year for Zada was 2006, when 96 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zada is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zada a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zada 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.