NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Zahirah

Feminine name derived from Arabic, meaning "brilliant" or "radiant one".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Zahirah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Zahirah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 8 births.

This profile covers 66 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 66 living people in the UK are called Zahirah. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Zahirah ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2010, when 8 girls were registered as Zahirah.
  • About 66 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zahirah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5687

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

2010

8 births

Estimated living

66

2026

Meaning

What does Zahirah mean?

The given name Zahirah has its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic root word "zah-r", which means "flower" or "blossom". The name is believed to have originated in the Middle East during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century AD.

In the Arabic culture, names often carry significant meaning and symbolism. Zahirah is a feminine name that symbolizes beauty, grace, and radiance, much like a blooming flower. It is a poetic and metaphorical name that reflects the appreciation for nature and its wonders within the Arabic tradition.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Zahirah can be found in historical records and manuscripts from the medieval Islamic world. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Zahirah bint Abi'l-Layth al-Samarkandiyyah, a renowned female scholar and poet who lived in Samarkand (modern-day Uzbekistan) during the 9th century AD.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zahirah. One such figure was Zahirah al-Baghdadiyah, a respected female physician and scientist who lived in Baghdad during the 10th century AD. She made significant contributions to the field of medicine and wrote several treatises on various medical topics.

Another prominent individual with the name Zahirah was Zahirah al-Andalusiyyah, a renowned poet and literary figure from medieval Andalusia (modern-day Spain) during the 11th century AD. Her poetry was widely celebrated and reflected the rich cultural and intellectual environment of the time.

In the 12th century AD, Zahirah bint al-Muqaddam al-Dimashqiyyah was a notable female Sufi mystic and scholar from Damascus. She was known for her spiritual teachings and writings, which influenced the Sufi tradition in the region.

Lastly, Zahirah bint Yahya al-Qadisiyyah was a prominent female scholar and hadith expert from Qadisiyyah (modern-day Iraq) during the 13th century AD. She contributed significantly to the preservation and transmission of Islamic religious traditions and teachings.

These are just a few examples of the historical figures who bore the name Zahirah, reflecting its longstanding presence and significance within the Arabic and Islamic cultural spheres.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Zahirah over time

The chart below shows babies named Zahirah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Zahirah, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Zahirah
02468199620092023

Decades

Zahirah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zahirah was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #5687 3 1
2010s #4485 19 4
2000s #3845 36 8
1990s #3176 8 2

Related

Names similar to Zahirah

FAQ

Zahirah: questions and answers

How popular is the name Zahirah in the UK right now?

In 2023, Zahirah was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Zahirah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2010, with 8 babies registered as Zahirah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Zahirah?

Feminine name derived from Arabic, meaning "brilliant" or "radiant one".

How many people are called Zahirah in the UK?

A total of 66 babies have been registered as Zahirah across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.