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