Zarinah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "golden" or "rich blond-haired woman".
Name Census estimates that about 178 living Americans carry the first name Zarinah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zarinah today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zarinah births was 1978 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zarinah. 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.
People living today
178
~ 1 in 1,925,586 Americans
Peak year
1978
17 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
2022 SSA rank
#17,707
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Zarinah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zarinah from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 86 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zarinah 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 Zarinah 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 Zarinah
The name Zarinah has its origins in the Persian language, where it is derived from the word "zar," meaning gold or golden. This name is believed to have emerged during the height of the Persian Empire, which spanned from the 6th century BCE to the 7th century CE.
In ancient Persian culture, gold was revered as a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and beauty. The name Zarinah was likely bestowed upon young girls with the hope that they would embody these qualities and lead a life filled with abundance and radiance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zarinah can be found in the epic Persian poem "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings), written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century CE. In this literary masterpiece, Zarinah is mentioned as the name of a beautiful and virtuous princess.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Zarinah. One such individual was Zarinah Begum (1613-1662), a powerful and influential Mughal princess who served as the governor of various regions in India during the reign of her brother, Emperor Shah Jahan.
Another prominent figure was Zarinah Khanum (1805-1865), a skilled Iranian painter and calligrapher who was renowned for her intricate and beautiful works of art. Her paintings and calligraphic pieces are displayed in various museums and collections around the world.
In the realm of literature, Zarinah Khazi (1920-2004) was a celebrated Afghan poet and writer. Her poems, which often explored themes of love, loss, and the human experience, gained widespread recognition and acclaim throughout Afghanistan and beyond.
The name Zarinah also holds significance in the Islamic tradition. Zarinah bint Kays, also known as Umm al-Mu'minin (Mother of the Believers), was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and one of his wives. She is respected and revered by Muslims for her piety and devotion to the faith.
Another notable figure was Zarinah Nadir (1935-2003), a renowned Afghan singer and musician who played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting traditional Afghan music. Her powerful voice and captivating performances earned her widespread acclaim both within Afghanistan and internationally.
People
Zarinah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zarinah 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
Zarinah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zarinah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 178 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zarinah 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 1,925,586 US residents.
Is Zarinah a common name?
We classify Zarinah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 189 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zarinah most popular?
The single biggest year for Zarinah was 1978, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zarinah is about 39 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zarinah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zarinah 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.