Zafirah
A girl's name of Arabic origin with 183 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Among U.S. girl's names, Zafirah currently holds position #15187. It is known but far from saturated — a name that registers without repeating.
Appearing in records from 1985 to 2024, Zafirah has a solid multi-decade track record without being a permanent fixture — it belongs to a specific chapter of American naming.
In the most recent SSA release, Zafirah ranks #15187 among U.S. girl names — distinctive enough to stand out.
Zafirah is a girl's baby name of Arabic origin, meaning 'victorious,' 'triumphant,' or 'successful' — from the Arabic root zafara, meaning to triumph or succeed. The feminine form of Zafir, it carries the same spirit of achievement and victory in a flowing, four-syllable form.
Victory names have universal appeal across cultures, but Zafirah's Arabic form carries a particular musicality. Its -irah ending, shared with names like Yasirah and Bashirah, gives it the flowing quality characteristic of Arabic feminine naming — a name that sounds like a fanfare and a lullaby at once.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Zafirah is rooted in the Arabic tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1985 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Zafirah’s rarity (183 recorded births) may indicate it is strongly tied to a specific cultural community or family tradition, rather than part of the broader American naming mainstream.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Zafirah climbed 3596 spots in the last 20 years — from #18783 to #15187.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 17 | #15914 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 88 | #12656 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 57 | #15463 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 16 | #14913 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 5 | #12492 | — |
The Story of Zafirah
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 2009, Zafirah is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Zafirah are most likely born between 1999 and 2019.
How rare is Zafirah?
Only about 1 in every 600,000 babies born in 2024 was named Zafirah — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1985, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2010s with 88 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Zafirah by the numbers
- Would fill 4 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(25 years, 1985–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | #15187 |
| 2023 | 5 | #17529 |
| 2020 | 6 | #15025 |
| 2019 | 5 | #17930 |
| 2018 | 11 | #9789 |
| 2017 | 7 | #14070 |
| 2016 | 10 | #10828 |
| 2015 | 7 | #14448 |
| 2014 | 13 | #8950 |
| 2013 | 7 | #14549 |
| 2012 | 8 | #13439 |
| 2011 | 9 | #12125 |
| 2010 | 11 | #10433 |
| 2009 | 13 | #9369 |
| 2008 | 6 | #17447 |
| 2007 | 9 | #12649 |
| 2006 | 7 | #15123 |
| 2005 | 5 | #19147 |
| 2004 | 5 | #18783 |
| 2002 | 7 | #13576 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zafirah a boy's or girl's name?
When was Zafirah most popular?
How popular is the name Zafirah?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1985–2024