Sahara
Girl name · #1969 in 2025 · Uniqueness 78/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sahara against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sahara in class?
Sahara scores 78 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. 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
Geography matters for names, and Sahara is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Saharas were CA (11), NC (11), NY (8), GA (7), TX (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 78/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.