Zari
Golden flower blossom in Persian.
Name Census estimates that about 1,424 living Americans carry the first name Zari. It is a predominantly female name (98.6% of registrations). The average person named Zari today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zari births was 2022 (119 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zari. 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
- • Zari is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 13 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.4K
~ 1 in 240,698 Americans
Peak year
2022
119 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2021 SSA rank
#2,377
Tracked since 1990
Gender
Gender distribution for Zari
Zari leans heavily female at 98.6% of total registrations, but 20 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Zari as a male name
- Ranked #14,050 in 2021
- 5 male births in 2021
- Peak: 2009 (5 births)
Zari as a female name
- Ranked #2,377 in 2024
- 77 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (119 births)
Popularity
Zari: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zari 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 513 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
Zari 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 Zari during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zaris live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. Georgia, Texas, California recorded the most babies named Zari, while Oklahoma, Illinois, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 27 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zari
The name Zari has its origins in the Persian language and culture, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Persian word "zar," which means "gold" or "golden." This name was likely given to children as a symbol of wealth, beauty, and prosperity.
In ancient Persian literature, the name Zari is mentioned in various texts and poetry. For instance, it appears in the epic poem "Shahnameh" by the renowned poet Ferdowsi, written between 977 and 1010 CE. The name is often associated with characters who embody grace, elegance, and radiance.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Zari can be found in Persian historical records dating back to the Sassanid Empire, which ruled from 224 to 651 CE. During this period, the name was popular among the nobility and upper classes of Persian society.
One of the most famous historical figures bearing the name Zari was Zari Khanum (1583-1631), a Persian princess and the daughter of Shah Abbas I of the Safavid Dynasty. She was known for her intelligence, beauty, and philanthropic efforts, establishing several charitable institutions and patronizing the arts.
Another notable figure was Zari Begum (1612-1659), a Mughal princess and the daughter of Prince Khurram, who later became the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. She was renowned for her literary talents and her patronage of poets and scholars.
In the 19th century, Zari Khanum Ayromlu (1825-1905) was a prominent Iranian poet and calligrapher. Her works were highly acclaimed and contributed significantly to the literary and artistic traditions of her time.
Zari Sarfaraz Husain (1835-1910) was an Indian princess and the daughter of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the last ruling Nawab of Awadh. She was known for her philanthropic efforts and her support of educational initiatives for women.
Zari Mushtaq Ahmad (1901-1984) was a renowned Pakistani writer and playwright. She was a pioneer in Urdu literature and played a crucial role in promoting women's rights and education in Pakistan.
Through these historical figures and many others, the name Zari has maintained its presence and significance across various cultures and time periods, reflecting its association with beauty, grace, and cultural richness.
People
Zari + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zari 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
Zari: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zari?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,424 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zari 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 240,698 US residents.
Is Zari a common name?
We classify Zari as "Rare". It ranks above 92.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,441 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zari most popular?
The single biggest year for Zari was 2022, when 119 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zari is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zari a female name?
Yes, 98.6% of people registered as Zari 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.