boy's name
Zaire
zah-EER (English)
- Origin Kongo, Portuguese
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 11,234
the United States
#503
2025 births
Zaire is a name used mostly for boys, from the former name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in use from 1971 to 1997. It comes through Portuguese from the Kikongo phrase nzadi o nzere, "the river that swallows all rivers," a name for the Congo River.
- Zaire is a name of Kongo, Portuguese origin.
- Peaked in 2023, when 674 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,453 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1974.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Zaire Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 80 |
| 1980s | 73 |
| 1990s | 1,149 |
| 2000s | 2,690 |
| 2010s | 3,201 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,704 |
What Zaire Means
Zaire means the great river, as a form of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi. For American parents the name often suggests an African heritage and a bold, modern sound.
Where Zaire Comes From
Portuguese explorers in the fifteenth century heard the Kikongo word for river and wrote it as Zaire, and it became a European name for the Congo River. President Mobutu Sese Seko revived it in 1971 as the name of the country and river, during his campaign of African authenticity, and it lasted until 1997. American parents began to use it as a first name during those years. Voltaire's 1732 play Zaïre is a separate literary use. Spellings such as Zyaire show the name's reach.
Zaire in Use
Football players Zaire Anderson and Zaire Franklin give it American visibility. Records in France and Canada show it as well.
How Popular Is Zaire?
In 2025, Zaire was given to 608 babies in the United States, ranking #503 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Zaire Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Zaire Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Zaïre | Zaïre is a rare spelling of Zaire, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 40 times, mostly in France. | 40 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Zaire
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Zaire Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Zaire over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Zaire
- English zah-EER
Zaire in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Zyaire
Common Questions About Zaire
What does the name Zaire mean?
The river that swallows all rivers, from a Kikongo phrase.
Is Zaire a country?
It was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 1997.
How do you pronounce Zaire?
zy-EER.
How popular is the name Zaire?
In 2025, Zaire was given to 608 babies in the United States, ranking #503 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Zaire a girl's or a boy's name?
Zaire is used for both girls and boys. About 13% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Zaire?
Zaire has 2 syllables.
When was Zaire most popular?
Zaire peaked in 2023, when 674 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Zaire a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Zaire currently ranks #503 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.