Zaheim
Of Arabic origin, a name meaning "skilled" or "distinguished".
Name Census estimates that about 16 living Americans carry the first name Zaheim. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zaheim today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zaheim births was 2001 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zaheim. 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 Zaheim. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
16
~ 1 in 21,422,146 Americans
Peak year
2001
6 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2023 SSA rank
#14,143
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Zaheim: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zaheim from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Zaheim remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zaheim 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 Zaheim during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zaheim
The name Zaheim is believed to have originated from the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "zahim," which means "glorious" or "magnificent." The earliest recorded use of this name dates back to the 7th century CE, during the rise of the Islamic Golden Age in the Middle East.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Zaheim was a renowned poet and scholar from Baghdad, who lived during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century CE. His works were widely celebrated for their vivid imagery and profound insights into the human condition.
In the 11th century, a prominent Islamic scholar and theologian named Zaheim ibn Al-Mahdi made significant contributions to the study of Islamic jurisprudence and philosophy. His writings influenced the development of Islamic thought for generations to come.
During the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt and Syria, a celebrated military commander named Zaheim Al-Din led several successful campaigns against the Crusaders in the 13th century. His strategic prowess and bravery on the battlefield earned him a place in the annals of medieval Islamic history.
In the 16th century, a renowned Persian calligrapher named Zaheim Al-Sultan gained recognition for his exquisite mastery of the Arabic script. His works were highly sought after by the nobility and are still admired by calligraphy enthusiasts today.
Another notable figure with the name Zaheim was a 19th-century Ottoman scholar and educator, Zaheim Efendi, who played a pivotal role in reforming the educational system in the Ottoman Empire. His efforts contributed to the modernization of the region's educational practices.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Zaheim. While the name may have evolved in its spelling and pronunciation across different regions and eras, its roots can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of the Arabic world, where it symbolized glory, magnificence, and achievement.
People
Zaheim + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zaheim 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
Zaheim: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zaheim?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 16 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zaheim 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 21,422,146 US residents.
Is Zaheim a common name?
We classify Zaheim as "Very Rare". It ranks above 36.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zaheim most popular?
The single biggest year for Zaheim was 2001, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zaheim is about 17 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 Zaheim in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zaheim a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zaheim 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 Zaheim still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zaheim 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 Zaheim 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 Americans are named Zaheim?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.