Zara is also considered to be diminutive of the Bulgarian name Zaharina, which is a feminine form of the masculine name Zechariah, a Hebrew name meaning ‘God remembers.’ Zara is also the name of the well-known Spanish-owned clothing retailer, but that doesn’t take away from the charm of this beautiful and somewhat uncommon name.

The name Zara has grown slightly more popular in the U.S. over the past decade, placing it in its top position in 2020 when it reached No. 215, according to the Social Security Administration. The name Zara is commonly used in Australia, England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland where it regularly places in the top 100 names. The popularity in the U.K. is likely linked to the fact that Princess Anne broke royal tradition and gave her daughter this Arabic name in 1981, thus boosting the name Zara into instant upper-class status.

Name Variations

For those considering the name Zara, you might also like some of the following variations: 

ZarahZairaZaharaZahraZahrah

Similar Names

If you like the name Zara, you might also appreciate some of these similar names:

Cara (Irish; English)Isla (Scottish)Mara (Hebrew)Sadie (Hebrew)Sara (Hebrew) Sarai (Hebrew)Seira (Japanese)Tara (Irish)Violet (Latin)Zora (Slavic)

Other girls’ names starting with Z:

ZainZainaZariaZendayaZiaZinaZoeZuriZylaZyra

Zara is believed to be a variation of the Arabic name Zahrah. Here are some other Arabic girls’ names, along with their meanings:  

Alia (from heaven)Elham (inspiring)Farah (joy)Iesha (one who is alive)Jamila (gorgeous woman)Kamaria (the moon)Lina (little palm tree)Lupe (from the wolves river)Nura (filled with light)Salma (safe and peaceful)

Common Nicknames

The name Zara might lead to the following nicknames:

Zar: The name Zar is a boy’s name with Burmese, Sanskrit, and Persian roots. It means “lace” and “neighbor.” It’s short and sweet and it’s an obvious go-to for someone named Zara. Zee: This is the American pronunciation of the letter Z. This is a super cute way to shorten the name Zara. 

Suggested Sibling Names

Are you looking for some names that pair well with Zara? Perhaps you’ll find the perfect sibling name here:

Ada (German) Belle (French)Finley (Scottish) Ivy (Greek)Kenzie (Scottish) Kane (Hawaiian)Kaia (Greek)Lanah (Hawaiin) Maeve (Irish, Gaelic)Meena(Hindi, Sanskrit)Max (German) Nixon (English, Scottish, Irish)Rylan (English)Shea (Irish)Zack (Hebrew)

Famous People Named Zara

Here is a list of well-known people named Zara from around the world:

Zara Abid, Pakistani modelZara Aldana, Filipina celebrityZara Bate, Australian fashion designerZara Cully, American actressZara Davis, English windsurferZara Dawson, English actress and television presenterZara Larsson, Swedish singerZara Levina, Ukrainian pianist and composerZara Noor Abbas, Pakistani actressZara Nelsova, Canadian cellistZara Northover, Jamaican shot putterZahra Rock, Comedian Chris Rock’s daughterZara Tindall (Phillips), equestrian, olympian, daughter of Princess Anne

 

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