Sahara
Girl name · #1969 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Sahara? In official American birth records, Sahara has been tracked continuously since 1964, giving it 61 years of documented American history.
Sahara ranks #1969 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 98 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1731, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,367 girls born in 2025 was named Sahara.
The 61-year story
Sahara first appears in the Social Security records in 1964, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2006, when 248 girls were named Sahara — good for #1033 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Sahara per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sahara against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sahara in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sahara is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Sahara will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sahara is most common
State-level data for Sahara is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Sahara
Statistically, parents drawn to Sahara tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kamara, Jahzara, Sakura, Sheyla, and Klara.
KamaraJahzaraSakuraSheylaKlaraKyaraSamariaSiara
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sahara | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 98 | #1962 |
| 2024 | 126 | #1637 |
| 2023 | 123 | #1681 |
| 2022 | 133 | #1590 |
| 2021 | 133 | #1577 |
| 2020 | 143 | #1494 |
| 2019 | 142 | #1523 |
| 2018 | 121 | #1710 |
| 2017 | 127 | #1686 |
| 2016 | 103 | #1942 |
| 2015 | 121 | #1731 |
| 2014 | 111 | #1830 |
| 2013 | 126 | #1675 |
| 2012 | 144 | #1530 |
| 2011 | 180 | #1307 |
| 2010 | 172 | #1357 |
| 2009 | 169 | #1398 |
| 2008 | 201 | #1250 |
| 2007 | 248 | #1057 |
| 2006 | 248 | #1033 |
| 2005 | 200 | #1158 |
| 2004 | 101 | #1871 |
| 2003 | 83 | #2106 |
| 2002 | 96 | #1853 |
| 2001 | 92 | #1887 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Sahara?
In official American birth records, the name Sahara first appeared in 1964 (over 61 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 61 years.
Is Sahara a popular girl name?
Sahara ranked #1969 among girls in 2025 with 98 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1731.
When was the name Sahara most popular?
Sahara peaked in 2006, when 248 American girls received the name (ranked #1033 that year). Since 2006 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sahara?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,367 newborn American girls was named Sahara. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.