Sahra is a female given name of Arabic origin, derived from the Semitic root "shr," which means "to rise" or "ascend." It has several possible meanings depending on the context:
1. "Morning dawn": Sahra can refer to the morning sunrise, suggesting brightness and new beginnings.
2. "Eastern": In some contexts, Sahra may signify the eastern direction or the East itself, which is often associated with the rising sun.
3. "Ascendant": The name could also imply someone who is dominant or influential.
Historically, Sahra has been used among various cultures and religions in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly among Muslims due to its Islamic connotations. It can be found among Arabic-speaking communities and beyond, including among speakers of other Semitic languages like Hebrew and Aramaic.
In some cases, Sahra may be a variant spelling of Sarah, another popular female name with Arabic origins, which means "princess" or "noblewoman." However, Sahra is typically considered distinct from Sarah, with its own unique meanings and associations.
Overall, Sahra is an attractive and meaningful name choice for parents looking for a name with roots in the rich history and culture of the Middle East. Its association with the sunrise makes it particularly appealing as a symbol of hope, renewal, and new beginnings.
The name Sahra has a unique pattern of popularity over the past five decades in the United States. From 1974 to 2023, there have been a total of 845 babies named Sahra born in the US.
The earliest records show that Sahra was given to 5 baby girls in 1974, followed by a slight increase to 7 births in 1976. The number fluctuated between 5 and 10 births per year until 1986 when there were 23 babies named Sahra, marking the highest point of popularity for this name during this period.
From 1987 onwards, the popularity of Sahra began to decline steadily. There were only 8 births in 1990 and it remained below 20 births per year until 1994 when there were 21 babies named Sahra. This trend continued with some fluctuations throughout the late '90s and early 2000s.
Interestingly, after 2005, we started seeing a gradual increase in popularity again for Sahra. In 2007, there were 35 births compared to just 14 in 2006. This upward trend continued until 2011 when it reached its recent peak with 32 babies named Sahra.
Since then, the number of newborn girls named Sahra has been steadily decreasing once again, with only 10 births recorded in both 2017 and 2023. However, we can observe that there was a small spike recently, reaching 23 births in 2022 after two consecutive years of having less than 20 births each.
Overall, while Sahra has not been one of the most popular names over these decades, it has maintained a consistent presence with at least some babies being named Sahra every year.