Zara or Zarah

Meaning: (Radiance, Shining, Flower, Blossoming Flower, Splendor, Dawn, Yahweh has Remembered, Princess, Lady, Literary name often used for exotic characters. It was first introduced to English speakers via literature, used by William Congreve for the name of an African queen in his tragedy The Mourning Bride (1697). It appeared again shortly after, as the title of the play Zara (1735), Aaron Hill's translation of Volaire's tragedy Zaïre (1733). The first name was however rarely used till the mid-20th century. It was later chosen by Princess Anne and Mark Philips of Britain for their daughter Zara Philips (1981-); the departure from royalty naming convention generated much discussion then. Their choice of the name did not boost its popularity until Zara Philips became famous in her own right in recent times. The trendy Spanish clothing retailer Zara (1975-) could have also increased the adoption of the name.)

Origin: (Arabic, Hebrew, African, Swahili)

Pronunciation: (ZR-ah, ZAERah, ZAH-rə)

Gender: Female

This is a name that can be substituted for Sara or Sarah. As you see under meanings it has been used often in literature and more for an exotic character. It is a beautiful name with a lovely meaning.