NameCensus.
Very Rare

Zamirah

A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "melody" or "song".

Name Census estimates that about 546 living Americans carry the first name Zamirah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zamirah today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zamirah births was 2017 (42 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Zamirah. 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

546

~ 1 in 627,755 Americans

Peak year

2017

42 babies that year

Average age

10

years old

2024 SSA rank

#3,808

Tracked since 2002

Popularity

Zamirah: popularity over time

The SSA tracks Zamirah from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 270 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zamirah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.

Babies born per year

0112132422005201020152020

Decades

Zamirah 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 Zamirah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
2000s09595
2010s0270270
2020s0185185

Geography

Where Zamirahs live

The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Florida, Georgia recorded the most babies named Zamirah, while New York, Georgia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 8 registrations each.

Origin

Meaning and history of Zamirah

The name Zamirah originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in the Semitic cultural traditions of the Middle East. It is derived from the Arabic word "zamara," which means "to sing" or "to chant." The name is believed to have emerged during the early centuries of Islam, a period when Arabic culture and language flourished across the region.

Zamirah holds significance in Islamic tradition as it is mentioned in religious texts and scriptures. In the Quran, the word "zamirah" is used to describe the melodious chanting or recitation of verses. This association with sacred hymns and praises has contributed to the name's positive connotations and its widespread use within Muslim communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zamirah can be traced back to the 9th century CE, when a renowned Arabic scholar and poet, Zamirah bint al-Qahtaniyyah (born around 805 CE), gained recognition for her literary works. Her poetry and contributions to the field of Arabic literature have been celebrated throughout history.

In the 12th century, another notable figure bearing the name Zamirah was Zamirah al-Mustawfiyah (born around 1145 CE), a skilled calligrapher and scribe from Baghdad. Her exceptional calligraphic skills and dedication to preserving Islamic manuscripts have earned her a place in the annals of Arabic calligraphy.

During the 14th century, Zamirah bint al-Husayn (born around 1325 CE) emerged as a prominent figure in the Islamic intellectual circles of Cairo. She was a scholar, teacher, and author who made significant contributions to the fields of hadith (prophetic traditions) and Islamic jurisprudence.

In the 17th century, Zamirah al-Baghdadiyah (born around 1620 CE) was a renowned Iraqi poet and literary figure. Her poetry, which often celebrated the beauty of nature and love, gained widespread admiration and appreciation during her lifetime.

Another notable figure bearing the name Zamirah was Zamirah bint Abi al-Qasim (born around 1730 CE), a Syrian scholar and poet who lived in Damascus. Her works, which covered a diverse range of topics from religion to philosophy, have been preserved and studied by scholars throughout the centuries.

While the name Zamirah has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic traditions, it has transcended cultural and religious boundaries, gaining popularity among diverse communities around the world due to its melodious sound and positive associations with music, poetry, and chanting.

People

Zamirah + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Zamirah 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

Zamirah: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Zamirah?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 546 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zamirah 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 627,755 US residents.

Is Zamirah a common name?

We classify Zamirah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 550 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Zamirah most popular?

The single biggest year for Zamirah was 2017, when 42 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zamirah is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

Is Zamirah a female name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zamirah 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.

N
Name Census
namecensus.com

There are 546 people

with the first name

Zamirah

Look up any American name

Share this result