Zayra
Of Arabic origin, meaning "radiant", "luminous", or "brilliant".
Name Census estimates that about 1,618 living Americans carry the first name Zayra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zayra today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zayra births was 2004 (82 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zayra. 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
1.6K
~ 1 in 211,838 Americans
Peak year
2004
82 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,501
Tracked since 1981
Popularity
Zayra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zayra from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 616 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Zayra remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zayra 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 Zayra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zayras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Zayra, while New York, Colorado, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 113 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zayra
The name Zayra has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "zayr," which means "fragrant flower" or "blossoming flower." This name was likely first used in the Middle East and North Africa regions during the medieval period when Arabic culture and language were widespread.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Zayra can be found in the writings of medieval Arab poets and scholars. It was often used as a poetic term to describe the beauty and fragrance of flowers, drawing a parallel to the grace and charm of a woman.
In the 11th century, a famous Arab poet named Al-Mutanabbi wrote a verse praising the beauty of a woman named Zayra, describing her as "a fragrant blossom in the garden of life." This poetic reference helped popularize the name among the Arabic-speaking world during that time.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Zayra. One of the earliest was Zayra al-Andalusiya, a renowned poet and scholar from the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal) in the 12th century. She was celebrated for her expertise in Arabic literature and her contributions to the intellectual life of the region.
Another famous Zayra was Zayra bint Ismail, a 13th-century princess from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of educational institutions.
In the 16th century, Zayra al-Malikiyya was a renowned calligrapher and artist from the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey). Her intricate calligraphic works adorned the walls of mosques and palaces, and her skill was highly praised by her contemporaries.
During the 19th century, Zayra Qasimi was a prominent feminist and educator from the Indian subcontinent. She fought for women's rights and established several schools for girls, promoting education and empowerment for women in her region.
In more recent times, Zayra Alvarez was a Cuban-American writer and activist who lived from 1926 to 2005. She was known for her literary works that explored themes of identity, immigration, and cultural heritage.
While the name Zayra has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has since been adopted and used in various parts of the world, often with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation. However, its meaning and association with fragrance and beauty have remained consistent throughout its historical journey.
People
Zayra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zayra 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
Zayra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zayra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,618 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zayra 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 211,838 US residents.
Is Zayra a common name?
We classify Zayra as "Rare". It ranks above 92.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,644 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zayra most popular?
The single biggest year for Zayra was 2004, when 82 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zayra is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zayra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zayra 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.