Zahir
How to say it: zuh-HEER · /zəˈhir/
Arabic name meaning 'radiant', 'shining', or 'evident'; one of the 99 names of Allah in Islamic tradition.
Zahir was the 682nd most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 356 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.3-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #547 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #682 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 356 |
| Share of births | 1 in 9,312 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.3 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #547 |
| In France, 2025 | #719 among boys’ names, 45 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Fresh to the charts, Zahir climbed to its best in the 2020s. More upward motion is foreseen for the near future.
What goes with it
Glowing and breathy, heard as zuh HEER, it feels strong and travels well with a sense of light. Zaid and Zain complement it in style.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Zahir is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Arabic, English, French, Turkish.
In France: #719 for boys in 2025.
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