Zaran
A Persian name possibly meaning "golden" or "gilded".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Zaran. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zaran today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zaran births was 2017 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zaran. 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 Zaran. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2017
5 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#14,219
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Zaran: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zaran 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 Zaran 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 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zaran
The name Zaran originates from the Persian language and has its roots in ancient Persia, now modern-day Iran. It is believed to have derived from the Middle Persian word "zar," which means "golden" or "golden-haired." This name gained popularity during the reign of the Sassanid Empire, which ruled over Persia from the 3rd to the 7th century AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zaran can be found in the Shahnameh, the epic Persian poem written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. In this literary masterpiece, Zaran is mentioned as the name of a character, suggesting that the name was already in use during that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zaran. One such figure was Zaran Khatun, a prominent Persian princess who lived during the 13th century. She was the daughter of the renowned Khwarazmshah Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu and played a crucial role in the political affairs of the region.
Another historical figure with the name Zaran was Zaran Khanum, a 16th-century Persian poet and calligrapher. She was renowned for her exceptional skills in poetry and calligraphy, and her works are still celebrated today as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Persia.
In the realm of literature, the name Zaran is also associated with Zaran Khanum Hanum, a 19th-century Persian writer and literary figure. Her works, which focused on themes of social reform and women's rights, were highly influential during her time and continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars.
Moving to more recent times, Zaran Ghassemi was a prominent Iranian painter and sculptor who lived in the 20th century (1892-1978). Her artworks, which often depicted traditional Persian themes and motifs, have been exhibited in various galleries and museums around the world.
Another notable individual with the name Zaran was Zaran Kalra, an Indian actress and model who gained popularity in the Bollywood film industry during the late 20th century (1947-2022). She was known for her roles in several popular Hindi movies and television shows.
It is worth noting that while the name Zaran has its origins in Persian culture, it has also been adopted and used in various other regions and cultures, particularly in Central Asia and parts of the Middle East, where Persian influence has been significant throughout history.
People
Zaran + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zaran 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
Zaran: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zaran?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zaran 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Zaran a common name?
We classify Zaran as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zaran most popular?
The single biggest year for Zaran was 2017, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zaran is about 9 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 Zaran in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zaran a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zaran 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 Zaran still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zaran 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 Zaran 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 Zaran?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.