What does Farah mean?
Farah means “joy” or “happiness” in Arabic.
What does Zaina mean?
Feminine form tied to Arabic زين (zayn) 'beauty, adornment', from the root z-y-n. Shares the same root as Zayn and the name Zaynab.
Farah vs Zaina
Which is more popular?
Farah is more popular than Zaina today: about 164 US babies were given the name Farah in 2025, compared with 0 named Zaina.
| Farah | Zaina | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Joy, happiness | Beauty, beautiful |
| Origin | Arabic | arabic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | FAH-rah | ZY-nuh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1960 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2012 (178) | 2025 (170) |
| In 2025 | 164 | 0 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Farah
Zaina
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Farah | Zaina |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 973 | 850 |
| 2010s | 1,580 | 1,229 |
| 2000s | 1,185 | 741 |
| 1990s | 863 | 264 |
| 1980s | 818 | 39 |
| 1970s | 710 | 0 |
| 1960s | 149 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Farah or Zaina more popular?
Farah is more popular than Zaina today: about 164 US babies were given the name Farah in 2025, compared with 0 named Zaina.
What is the difference between Farah and Zaina?
Farah means Joy, happiness (Arabic origin), while Zaina means Beauty, beautiful (arabic origin).
Which name is older, Farah or Zaina?
In US records, Farah first appears in 1960 and Zaina in 0, so Zaina has the longer recorded history.