Zamora
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "chaste or modest".
Name Census estimates that about 1,358 living Americans carry the first name Zamora. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zamora today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zamora births was 2024 (123 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zamora. 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
- • Zamora is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 9 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.4K
~ 1 in 252,396 Americans
Peak year
2024
123 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,669
Tracked since 1992
Popularity
Zamora: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zamora from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 613 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zamora 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 Zamora during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zamoras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. California, Florida, Texas recorded the most babies named Zamora, while Ohio, Arizona, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 37 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zamora
The name Zamora has its origins in the Spanish language and culture, with roots dating back to the medieval era. The name is derived from the city of Zamora, located in the northwestern region of Spain, near the border with Portugal. The city's name itself is believed to have originated from the Latin word "Semura," meaning "land of flat rocks" or "land of the flat stones."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zamora can be found in the 11th century, when it was used to refer to the city itself. During this period, the city of Zamora played a significant role in the Reconquista, the centuries-long struggle between Christian and Moorish forces for control of the Iberian Peninsula.
As the name spread beyond the confines of the city, it became a popular given name among Spanish families, particularly those with ties to the region of Zamora or those who admired the city's historical significance. Over time, the name also found its way into other Spanish-speaking cultures, including those in Latin America.
One of the earliest recorded individuals to bear the name Zamora was Alfonso VII of León and Castile, also known as Alfonso the Emperor, who was born in 1105 and reigned from 1126 until his death in 1157. Another notable figure was Juan de Zamora, a renowned Spanish scholar and philosopher of the 13th century, who made significant contributions to the fields of philosophy and theology.
In the 15th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Rodrigo Zamora, a Spanish explorer and navigator who was part of Christopher Columbus's second voyage to the Americas in 1493. His exploration and discoveries in the Caribbean islands contributed to the expansion of Spanish influence in the region.
During the 16th century, the name Zamora was associated with Juan de Zamora, a Spanish Dominican friar and theologian who played a crucial role in the evangelization efforts in the Americas. He is remembered for his work in establishing educational institutions and defending the rights of indigenous populations.
In more recent times, the name Zamora has been carried by several notable individuals, including Juan Zamora, a Mexican painter and muralist who was born in 1889 and is known for his vibrant depictions of Mexican culture and history. Additionally, the name was borne by Benjamín Zamora, a Chilean football player who represented his country in the 1962 FIFA World Cup.
People
Zamora + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zamora 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
Zamora: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zamora?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,358 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zamora 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 252,396 US residents.
Is Zamora a common name?
We classify Zamora as "Rare". It ranks above 91.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,369 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zamora most popular?
The single biggest year for Zamora was 2024, when 123 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zamora is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zamora a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zamora 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.