Zara

Zara is most commonly traced to the Arabic root meaning brightness or flower, though it also functions as a variant of the Hebrew name Zerah, meaning sunrise or dawning light, found in the Old Testament. The name has been used across the Arab world, Persian-speaking regions, and among Sephardic Jewish communities for centuries. It gained wider Western attention partly through aristocratic usage, notably as the name of Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II. Related forms include Zahra, Zahrah, and Zerah.