Zaryah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the radiant one".
Name Census estimates that about 946 living Americans carry the first name Zaryah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zaryah today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zaryah births was 2011 (64 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zaryah. 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
946
~ 1 in 362,320 Americans
Peak year
2011
64 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,102
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Zaryah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zaryah 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 511 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zaryah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zaryah 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 Zaryah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zaryahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Zaryah, while Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zaryah
The name Zaryah has its origins in the Arabic language, where it is derived from the word "zahrah," meaning "flower" or "blossom." This name is believed to have emerged during the time of the Islamic Golden Age, a period of significant cultural and intellectual achievements in the Middle East and North Africa, spanning from the 8th to the 13th centuries.
The earliest recorded use of the name Zaryah can be traced back to the 9th century, when it was mentioned in several Arabic literary works and historical accounts. One notable reference is found in the writings of the renowned Arab scholar and poet, Al-Mutanabbi, who lived from 915 to 965 AD. In his poetry, he often used the name Zaryah as a metaphor for beauty and grace.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zaryah. One of the earliest recorded figures was Zaryah bint Al-Hasan, a renowned Islamic scholar and poet who lived in the 10th century. She was highly respected for her contributions to the fields of literature and religious studies.
In the 12th century, Zaryah al-Andalusiya was a celebrated Andalusian poet and philosopher. Her works were widely admired for their depth and eloquence, and she is considered one of the most influential figures of the Andalusian literary tradition.
During the 13th century, Zaryah al-Dimashqi was a prominent Syrian scholar and physician. She was renowned for her expertise in medicine and her contributions to the advancement of medical knowledge during the medieval period.
In the 16th century, Zaryah Begum was a Mughal princess and the daughter of the famous Emperor Akbar. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for the education of women in the Mughal Empire.
Another notable figure was Zaryah Al-Ghazali, an Egyptian feminist and activist who lived in the early 20th century. She was a pioneering advocate for women's rights and played a crucial role in the Egyptian women's movement.
These are just a few examples of the many influential individuals who have carried the name Zaryah throughout history, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and the diverse backgrounds of those who have borne this beautiful name.
People
Zaryah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zaryah 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
Zaryah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zaryah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 946 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zaryah 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 362,320 US residents.
Is Zaryah a common name?
We classify Zaryah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 954 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zaryah most popular?
The single biggest year for Zaryah was 2011, when 64 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zaryah is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zaryah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zaryah 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.