Zariha
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "precious flower".
Name Census estimates that about 27 living Americans carry the first name Zariha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zariha today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zariha births was 2006 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zariha. 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 Zariha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
27
~ 1 in 12,694,605 Americans
Peak year
2006
6 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2016 SSA rank
#18,819
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Zariha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zariha from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 21 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
Zariha 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 Zariha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zariha
The name Zariha originates from the Arabic language and culture, with its roots traced back to the 7th century AD during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. The name is derived from the Arabic word "zahrah," which means "flower" or "blossom," symbolizing beauty, grace, and purity.
In the early Islamic era, Zariha was a relatively uncommon name, but it gained popularity among Arab families, particularly those with a connection to the Prophet Muhammad's lineage or the Islamic faith. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zariha can be found in historical records from the Umayyad Caliphate, which ruled from 661 to 750 AD.
During the medieval period, the name Zariha appeared in various Islamic texts and literary works, often associated with virtuous and pious women. In the 12th century, a renowned Islamic scholar and poet from Andalusia, known as Ibn Zaydun, dedicated a collection of love poems to a woman named Zariha, further cementing the name's association with beauty and admiration.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Zariha. One of the earliest recorded examples is Zariha bint Al-Husayn, who lived in the 8th century AD and was a respected scholar and teacher in the city of Medina. Another notable figure was Zariha al-Maghribiya, a 12th-century poet and calligrapher from Spain, renowned for her exquisite works of art and literature.
In the 14th century, Zariha al-Dimashqiya, a Syrian scholar and poet, gained recognition for her contributions to Islamic literature and her vast knowledge of various subjects, including theology, philosophy, and astronomy.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Zariha Al-Ghouri was a prominent Egyptian feminist and activist who fought for women's rights and education. She established one of the first schools for girls in Egypt and played a significant role in the country's social reform movements.
Another notable figure was Zariha Al-Hashimi, a 20th-century Iraqi poet and writer, whose works explored themes of love, patriotism, and the struggles of women in society. Her poems and essays were widely celebrated and contributed to the cultural renaissance in Iraq during her lifetime.
While the name Zariha may not be as common today as it once was, it remains a beautiful and meaningful name with a rich historical and cultural heritage, reflecting the values of grace, beauty, and intellectual pursuits.
People
Zariha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zariha 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
Zariha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zariha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 27 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zariha 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 12,694,605 US residents.
Is Zariha a common name?
We classify Zariha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 44.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 27 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zariha most popular?
The single biggest year for Zariha was 2006, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zariha is about 15 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 Zariha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zariha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zariha 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.
Is Zariha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zariha 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 Zariha 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 people have Zariha as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Zariha on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.