Zaryan
A masculine Persian name meaning "golden" or "cultivator of gold".
Name Census estimates that about 245 living Americans carry the first name Zaryan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zaryan today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zaryan births was 2015 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zaryan. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Zaryan with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
245
~ 1 in 1,398,997 Americans
Peak year
2015
20 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,716
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Zaryan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zaryan from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 148 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zaryan remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zaryan 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 Zaryan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zaryans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Zaryan
The name Zaryan has its roots in the ancient Persian language, originating from the word "zar," which means "gold" or "golden." This name has been prevalent in various regions of the Middle East and Central Asia, particularly in areas historically influenced by Persian culture.
Records indicate that the name Zaryan was first mentioned in the Zoroastrian religious texts known as the Avesta, dating back to the 6th century BCE. It was often used to describe individuals with a radiant or golden aura, suggesting a connection with light and purity.
One of the earliest known historical figures bearing the name Zaryan was a Persian philosopher and poet from the 9th century CE. His works explored themes of love, spirituality, and the pursuit of knowledge, contributing to the rich literary traditions of the region.
In the 12th century, a renowned Persian physician named Zaryan al-Razi made significant contributions to the field of medicine. His writings on various diseases and treatments were widely studied and referenced throughout the Middle Ages.
During the Safavid Dynasty in Persia (modern-day Iran), which ruled from the 16th to the 18th century, the name Zaryan gained popularity among the nobility and aristocracy. It was seen as a symbol of prestige and affluence, reflecting the cultural values of that era.
Another notable figure was Zaryan Khan, a prominent military commander and governor in the Mughal Empire of the 17th century. He played a crucial role in expanding and consolidating the empire's territories, earning him a reputation as a skilled strategist and loyal servant to the Mughal rulers.
In the realm of literature, Zaryan Shirazi, a celebrated Persian poet from the 18th century, left a lasting legacy with his works that explored themes of love, mysticism, and the human experience. His poetry continues to be widely studied and appreciated by scholars and literary enthusiasts.
While the name Zaryan has maintained a strong presence in the Middle Eastern and Central Asian regions throughout history, it has also found its way into other cultures and languages over time, albeit with slightly modified spellings or pronunciations.
People
Zaryan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zaryan 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
Zaryan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zaryan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 245 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zaryan 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 1,398,997 US residents.
Is Zaryan a common name?
We classify Zaryan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 247 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zaryan most popular?
The single biggest year for Zaryan was 2015, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zaryan is about 11 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 Zaryan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zaryan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zaryan 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 Zaryan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zaryan 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 Zaryan 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 Zaryan as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Zaryan on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.