What does Farah mean?
Farah means “joy” or “happiness” in Arabic.
What does Zaynab mean?
Zaynab is the name of a fragrant flowering plant; borne by daughters of the Prophet.
Farah vs Zaynab
Which is more popular?
Farah is more popular than Zaynab today: about 164 US babies were given the name Farah in 2025, compared with 144 named Zaynab.
| Farah | Zaynab | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Joy, happiness | Fragrant flower |
| Origin | Arabic | Arabic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | FAH-rah | ZAY-nab |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1960 | 1982 |
| Peak year | 2012 (178) | 2016 (146) |
| In 2025 | 164 | 144 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Farah
Zaynab
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Farah | Zaynab |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 973 | 774 |
| 2010s | 1,580 | 1,051 |
| 2000s | 1,185 | 466 |
| 1990s | 863 | 181 |
| 1980s | 818 | 37 |
| 1970s | 710 | 0 |
| 1960s | 149 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Farah or Zaynab more popular?
Farah is more popular than Zaynab today: about 164 US babies were given the name Farah in 2025, compared with 144 named Zaynab.
What is the difference between Farah and Zaynab?
Farah means Joy, happiness (Arabic origin), while Zaynab means Fragrant flower (Arabic origin).
Which name is older, Farah or Zaynab?
In US records, Farah first appears in 1960 and Zaynab in 1982, so Farah has the longer recorded history.