Zareb
A masculine Arabic name meaning "bright star" or "shining star".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Zareb. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zareb today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zareb births was 2007 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zareb. 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 Zareb. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2007
5 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2007 SSA rank
#14,368
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Zareb: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zareb 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 Zareb during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zareb
The name Zareb has its roots in the ancient Persian language, originating from the region that is now modern-day Iran. It is derived from the Persian word "zarab," which means "golden" or "radiant." This name can be traced back to the early Islamic era, around the 7th century AD, when it was commonly used among the Persian nobility and aristocracy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zareb can be found in the "Shahnameh," a celebrated Persian epic poem written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. In this literary masterpiece, Zareb is mentioned as the name of a brave and valiant warrior who fought alongside the legendary Persian king, Fereydun.
Throughout the centuries, the name Zareb has been associated with several historical figures of note. One such individual was Zareb ibn Battal, a distinguished military commander who lived during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century. He was renowned for his strategic prowess and his unwavering loyalty to the caliphate.
In the realm of literature, Zareb al-Katib was a celebrated poet and calligrapher who flourished during the golden age of Islamic civilization in the 10th century. His exquisite poetry and masterful calligraphic works are still revered and studied by scholars today.
Another notable figure bearing the name Zareb was Zareb al-Muqri, a renowned scholar and reciter of the Quran who lived in the 12th century. He was highly respected for his profound knowledge of Islamic scriptures and his melodious recitation of the holy text.
During the Safavid dynasty in Persia, which ruled from the 16th to the 18th century, the name Zareb gained further prominence. One prominent figure from this era was Zareb Khan, a skilled military strategist and trusted advisor to Shah Abbas the Great, who played a pivotal role in the expansion and consolidation of the Safavid empire.
These are but a few examples of the historical figures who have carried the name Zareb throughout the centuries, each leaving an indelible mark on their respective fields and contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of the Persian civilization.
People
Zareb + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zareb 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
Zareb: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zareb?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zareb 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 Zareb a common name?
We classify Zareb 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 Zareb most popular?
The single biggest year for Zareb was 2007, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zareb is about 19 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 Zareb in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zareb a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zareb 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 Zareb still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zareb 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 Zareb 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 common is the name Zareb?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.