The name Zaire is a boy's name of African origin meaning "the river that swallows all rivers".

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Zaire was a Central African state from 1971 to 1997 that has recently risen up the charts as a boys name. Deriving from a Congo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers", it makes a bold and wearable choice for a son.
 
It began to climb up the charts in the late 90s, after the dissolution of the state and the establishment of the Republic of Congo. Zaire has been in the US Top 1000 consistently since 2002, and as of 2023, it is in the Top 500, given to around 650 boys - and a small handful of girls - each year. 
 
Notably borne by footballers Zaire Anderson and Zaire Barnes, Zaïre (or Zara) is also the name of a play by French playwright, Voltaire, while alternative forms, Zyair, Zyaire, and Jaire are also in use.

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Zaire

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The name Zaire is currently ranked #503 in U.S. births. and peaked for boys at #466 in 2023. The name is most popular in District of Columbia, Georgia, and Georgia. Zaire is occasionally used for girls in 2025.

Zahir

The name Zaire is a girl's name of African origin.

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While this African place-name is much more popular for boys, nearly 40 girls were named Zaire last year. Among <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/advanced">African baby names</a>, this is one of the best-known in the US.

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The name Zaire peaked for girls at #1926 in 1997. The name is most popular in Texas. Zaire is also used for boys, ranking #503 in 2025.

Year	US rank	Births	Per million
2014	#905	238	123.9
2015	#878	254	132.5
2016	#781	305	160.7
2017	#747	317	171.3
2018	#657	389	214.2
2019	#561	498	277.6
2020	#528	542	314
2021	#529	557	318.4
2022	#496	615	352.2
2023	#466	655	382.9
2024	#472	651	377.9
2025	#503	601	351.9

Zaire

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