Given name & surname
Zahir
“a radiant and flourishing man”
Zahir is used as a given name and a surname. One Arabic interpretation is “a radiant and flourishing man.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Arabic interpretation is “a radiant and flourishing man.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1973. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zahir through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,784
- 4,777 boys · 7 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 356 babies
- 2025
- 356
- #738 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +47%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 356 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 738 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 46.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (39). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,808 as a first name in 2020; 790 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Zahir’s family of names
Zahir has a related form in Zaheer. Zahir has a related form in Zahar. Zahir has a related form in Zaheere.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Around the world
Zahir has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Arabic roots to each of them.
2 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Zaheervariant
- Zaharvariant
- Zahyrvariant
- Zahirevariant
- Zahiervariant
- Zaheirvariant
- Zhahirvariant
- Zahierevariant
Show 4 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Similar names
If you love Zahir, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“having great strength”
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Rakan
Rakan is a masculine given name from Arabic.
>99% boys