Given name
Zaynab
“a fragrant flowering plant”
Zaynab is a variant of Zainab. One Arabic interpretation is “a fragrant flowering plant.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Zaynab is a variant of Zainab. One Arabic interpretation is “a fragrant flowering plant.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Zaynab is a variant of Zainab. An origin associated with Zainab is Arabic.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1982. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zaynab through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,509
- 0 boys · 2,509 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 146 babies
- 2025
- 144
- #1,492 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +6%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 144 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,492 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 5.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 146 in 2016. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (25). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,727 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Zaynab’s family of names
Zaynab has a related form in Zainab. Zaynab has a related form in Zainab. In French usage, Zaynab has a related form in Zaïnab.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Zaynab has relatives in 3 languages.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 6
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Zaynab
- Zaynab bint Jahshcousin and seventh wife of Muhammad (c. 590–641)592–642
- Zaynab bint Alidaughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah bint Muhammad (626-682)
- Zaynab bint KhuzaymaMuhammad's fifth wife (c. 596–625)595–625
- Umm Rumancompanion of Muhammad and wife of Abu Bakr
- Zaynab AlkaliNigerian novelist. She is also a poet and short story writer, recognized as the first female novelist in Northern Nigeriaborn 1950
- Zaynab Fawwazwomen's rights activist and writer1844–1914
- Zaynab DossoItalian athletics competitorborn 1999
- Zeynab HabibBeninese singer of world musicborn 1975
- Zaynab DayibekovaUzbekistani fencerborn 2002
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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