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Farah as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Farah

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The baby name Farah is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈfɑːrə/ (FAH-rah).

Farah is Arabic, Persian in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Arabic, Persian
Pronunciation: /ˈfɑːrə/ (FAH-rah)

What is the meaning of the name Farah ?

The baby name Farah is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈfɑːrə/ (FAH-rah).

Farah is Arabic, Persian in Origin.

Farah derives from the Arabic noun farah (فَرَح), built on the Semitic root F-R-Ḥ denoting joy, gladness, and festive delight. Used chiefly as a feminine given name across the Arab world, Iran, South Asia, and the global Muslim diaspora, it also appears unisex in some regions and as a family name. Through Persian and Urdu, the name spread into Turkish and Swahili usage, retaining its bright, celebratory sense.

Documented in medieval Arabic sources and Sufi poetry as a symbol of spiritual happiness, Farah has long-standing cultural currency. Modern bearers such as Empress Farah Pahlavi and filmmaker Farah Khan sustained its international visibility. Common variants and transliterations include Farrah (popular in English via Farrah Fawcett), Farha, Fara, and the adjectival Fariha; a closely related masculine form is Farhan. Not to be confused with Persian Farhad, which is etymologically separate. Diminutives like Fafa or Fari occur regionally.

Farah has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Farah

Farah Pahlavi Politician · Born 1938 · Iran Farah Pahlavi is best known as the last queen and empress of Iran. A member of the Pahlavi dynasty, she was the third wife and later widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Iran. Farah Khan Actor · Born 1965 · India Farah Khan is best known as an Indian choreographer and film director in Hindi cinema. She directed popular films like Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om, and has also worked as a dancer, writer, producer, and actress. Farah Zeynep Abdullah Actor · Born 1989 · Turkey Farah Zeynep Abdullah is a Turkish actress and singer best known for her work in film and television. She became widely recognized for roles in productions like Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman ki, Kurt Seyit ve Şura, and Bizim İçin Şampiyon.
Farah Actor · Born 1988 · India Farah is a given name that may refer to various people, places, and other uses.

Celebrity babies named Farah

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Farah M. Pahlavi Reza Pahlavi musician ★★★★★

Farah – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 — 874
FJ 0 #6 1 374
JO Girls 0 #8 3,581 7,570
MY Girls 0 #8 11,256 24,821
FJ Girls 0 #9 1 583
BN 0 #10 23 2,297
MY 0 #13 811 12,352
BN Girls 0 #15 130 5,459
DJ 0 #16 2 322
HT Girls 0 #16 8 950
IQ Girls 0 #19 3,087 11,303
DJ Boys 0 #21 17 657
KW Girls 0 #24 1,551 19,177
DJ Girls 0 #25 5 488
JO 0 #32 144 2,158
MV Girls 0 #35 1 2,021
ID 0 #38 2 2,238
AZ 0 #42 2 706
LB 0 #47 2,907 13,263
AE Girls 0 #50 1,128 20,968
IQ 0 #51 95 3,533
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
QA 0 #54 47 7,011
PR 0 #55 1 1,497
AF Girls 0 #56 39 2,402
SY 0 #59 4,327 11,684
QA Girls 0 #60 377 15,378
SA Girls 0 #61 3,683 25,931
KW 0 #63 54 5,216
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
IN 0 #69 3 2,963
AF 0 #72 5 1,883
AZ Girls 0 #72 4 1,051
EG Girls 0 #73 15,566 14,742
OM Girls 0 #74 423 15,987
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
ID Girls 0 #81 18 3,319
CN 0 #82 5 3,857
SD 0 #84 17 2,130
TN 0 #84 7,411 13,765
AE 0 #91 87 10,220
OM 0 #92 25 6,215
PH 0 #105 6 5,607
GE Girls 0 #107 2 1,564
Norway Girls 2023 #114 4 467
PS Girls 0 #114 889 10,981
MA 0 #120 14,829 20,986
CY Girls 0 #123 3 3,755
LY 0 #130 781 12,703
AZ Boys 0 #131 1 1,400
Switzerland Girls 2024 #132 4 1,786
SD Boys 0 #132 534 10,523
MU 0 #134 4 3,613
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
PA 0 #136 3 3,797
RS Girls 0 #137 1 1,651
BN Boys 0 #138 2 6,332
DZ 0 #142 5,914 20,130
MT Girls 0 #147 7 3,773
SA 0 #147 156 10,560
BW Girls 0 #150 2 4,216
Belgium Girls 2024 #160 26 424
EG 0 #161 422 6,387
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
Sweden Girls 2022 #171 9 1,568
BD Girls 0 #172 251 8,413
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
LU Girls 0 #183 8 4,850
Sweden Boys 2018 #185 2 1,584
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
PS 0 #193 26 5,692
DK 0 #199 8 5,198
BD 0 #201 27 5,992
LU Boys 0 #219 2 4,970
HU Girls 0 #223 3 3,308
IR 0 #224 8 4,221
JO Boys 0 #224 182 7,057
SG Girls 0 #228 475 18,916
BG Girls 0 #230 2 3,559
SG 0 #230 40 11,010
JP Girls 0 #231 15 6,592
YE 0 #241 147 8,639
Canada Girls 2024 #242 44 2,795
GR Girls 0 #246 4 6,293
PT 0 #250 1 4,161
NA Boys 0 #253 1 6,830
SD Girls 0 #254 93 7,678
IL 0 #256 19 6,291
TW Boys 0 #256 1 7,111
DK Girls 0 #257 60 7,429
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
IR Girls 0 #258 341 8,334
MO Girls 0 #258 6 7,056
HR Boys 0 #259 1 3,997
TW Girls 0 #265 12 8,139
AF Boys 0 #269 6 3,535
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
IL Girls 0 #280 454 11,648
France Girls 2021 #287 124 3,185
HR Girls 0 #294 1 3,687
MU Girls 0 #300 52 8,539
Canada Boys 1997 #301 5 1,830
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
BH 0 #305 262 17,937
DK Boys 0 #325 8 7,401
CN Boys 0 #329 3 9,639
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
GH Girls 0 #336 2 6,973
CN Girls 0 #337 13 8,829
GT 0 #337 2 5,948
CZ Girls 0 #348 4 5,378
HK 0 #355 3 8,483
PH Girls 0 #356 35 13,098
NL 0 #358 34 2,481
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
PL Girls 0 #363 2 5,096
Finland Girls 0 #364 28 1,368
MU Boys 0 #366 4 8,477
France Boys 2021 #385 3 2,865
Austria Girls 0 #403 18 1,885
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
Finland Boys 0 #414 14 2,041
ZA 0 #424 24 14,421
Germany 0 #425 13 2,542
PS Boys 0 #430 119 10,655
CL 0 #432 3 6,867
Spain 0 #433 20 2,326
MX 0 #439 7 8,339
EG Boys 0 #440 622 15,035
PA Girls 0 #459 23 9,861
PT Girls 0 #465 7 7,952
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
GT Boys 0 #499 1 7,625
PA Boys 0 #505 1 9,305
CO 0 #508 3 7,768
CR Boys 0 #509 2 10,188
RU Girls 0 #519 5 11,913
CR Girls 0 #521 12 11,342
RU Boys 0 #524 3 12,621
IL Boys 0 #527 81 10,983
NL Girls 0 #529 495 5,933
UY Girls 0 #530 7 6,731
GT Girls 0 #539 3 7,500
IQ Boys 0 #539 129 13,071
IR Boys 0 #542 11 10,162
IN Girls 0 #552 80 13,121
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
BD Boys 0 #564 13 10,045
CM Boys 0 #574 2 12,054
HK Girls 0 #585 31 16,104
BO Girls 0 #596 16 9,488
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
Spain Girls 0 #623 394 5,561
AR Girls 0 #625 6 8,289
Germany Girls 0 #630 212 4,949
Finland Girls 2026 #648 91 3,895
Finland Boys 2026 #662 21 3,552
QA Boys 0 #676 32 18,093
SG Boys 0 #685 13 17,960
KW Boys 0 #697 73 18,755
CL Boys 0 #700 1 13,390
IT 0 #701 14 4,183
United States Girls 2024 #750 167 8,487
NG Girls 0 #774 13 15,093
BR Boys 0 #784 2 12,213
CL Girls 0 #794 58 14,098
OM Boys 0 #833 49 17,948
TR 0 #870 369 19,440
United States Boys 2017 #878 8 7,410
MY Boys 0 #885 228 25,439
PE Girls 0 #903 41 14,861
Spain Boys 0 #908 23 5,610
NL Boys 0 #917 35 5,873
PE Boys 0 #926 1 14,506
BR Girls 0 #928 14 12,708
Germany Boys 0 #939 14 5,697
CO Boys 0 #979 3 15,656
ZA Girls 0 #981 161 25,928
NG Boys 0 #995 7 16,906
MX Boys 0 #1,029 5 16,355
AE Boys 0 #1,033 60 22,615
IN Boys 0 #1,033 7 16,750
CO Girls 0 #1,052 27 16,140
MX Girls 0 #1,115 69 17,781
IT Girls 0 #1,124 327 9,415
ZA Boys 0 #1,155 24 25,619
SA Boys 0 #1,290 326 28,008
IT Boys 0 #1,399 73 10,046

Farah is popular in 86 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Norway
Canada
Scotland, United Kingdom
Belgium

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Farah

Farah is predominantly a girl's name.
Farah is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈfɑːrə/ (FAH-rah).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Farrah, Fara, Farha, Ferah and Faarah.
Across languages, Farah has these equivalents: Joy (English), Letitia / Laetitia (Latin), Felicity (Latin), Allegra (Italian), Blythe (English), and 1 more.
Yes, very popular — Farah ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 10 countries.
Farah ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Farah's popularity is declining significantly. It moved from #157 in 2011 to #287 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 4 notable people named Farah are in our database, including Farah Pahlavi (Politician), Farah Khan (Actor), Farah Zeynep Abdullah (Actor).
Yes — at least 1 celebrity couple has chosen Farah for their child, including Reza Pahlavi.