The story behind Zahir
Borrowed from Arabic ظَاهِر (ẓāhir), ظٰهِر (ẓāhir). The surname is mostly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): Z AH0 HH IH1 R
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Zahir ranked #738 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Zahir
Zafer
Inherited from Ottoman Turkish ظفر (zafer, “victory”), borrowed from Arabic ظَفَر (ẓafar).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Akbar
Borrowed from Arabic أكبر.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Almir
From Arabic أَمِير (ʔamīr, “prince, commander”). Compare Slovene Almir, Serbo-Croatian Almir, Albanian Almir.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Amir
From Arabic أَمِير (ʔamīr, “commander, prince”). Doublet of amir, emir, admiral, and amira.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Anar
Borrowed from Arabic أَنَارَ (ʔanāra) or Classical Persian انار (anār). Thought to be popularized by Rəsul Rza.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Anwar
Borrowed from Arabic أَنْوَر (ʔanwar, “most luminous”). Borrowed from Arabic أَنْوَار (ʔanwār, “lights”). Borrowed from Arabic أَنْوَر (ʔanwar).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Zahir
Abacar
Borrowed from Arabic أَبُو بَكْر (ʔabū bakr, literally “father of a young camel; father of a person named Bakr”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abdala
From Old Galician-Portuguese Abdalla, from Arabic عَبْدُ الله (ʕabdu llāh).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abdeslam
Borrowed from Arabic عَبْدُ ٱلسَّلَام (ʕabdu s-salām).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Zahir
Aaliyah
Popularized by American singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001). Transliteration of Arabic عَالِيَة (ʕāliya).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abaz
Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish عباس (ʼabbas), from Arabic عَبَّاس (ʕabbās, literally “frowning; lion”). For the final /z/ compare abanoz. Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish عباس…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Z
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abbas
From Arabic عَبَّاس (ʕabbās, “one who frowns a lot; untamed lion”), from عَبَسَ (ʕabasa, “to frown”), the title of the eightieth sura of the Qur'an. From Arabic عَبَّاس (ʕabbās).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length