The first name Zahir
A boy’s name from Arabic.
2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Arabic origin
Borrowed from Arabic ظَاهِر (ẓāhir), ظٰهِر (ẓāhir). The surname is mostly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 12 boys were named Zahir, making it the 2,014th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2014, with 21 births (#1,223).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Zahir with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Zahir at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 356 boys born in the United States were named Zahir, the 738th most popular boys’ name that year.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
More Arabic boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Zahir mean?
- Borrowed from Arabic ظَاهِر (ẓāhir), ظٰهِر (ẓāhir). The surname is mostly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- What is the origin of the name Zahir?
- Borrowed from Arabic ظَاهِر (ẓāhir), ظٰهِر (ẓāhir). The surname is mostly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- How popular is the name Zahir?
- In 2025, 12 boys born in England and Wales were named Zahir, ranking 2,014th. Its peak was 2014, with 21 births.
- Is Zahir a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 4,784 US babies named Zahir since 1880 were boys.
- When was Zahir most popular?
- 2025 in the United States, when 356 babies were named Zahir, its highest rank at 738th.
- Is Zahir also a surname?
- Yes. Zahir is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.