Zeinab
Meaningfragrant plant · Arabic
Zeinab is an Arabic girl name meaning “fragrant plant”. Arabic names are often chosen for a virtue or a blessing parents hope their child will carry. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds crisp and confident, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length.
Did you know?
- Word funZeinab doesn't repeat a single letter: 6 letters, all different.
- Scrabble scoreIf names were allowed in Scrabble, Zeinab would score 17 points, thanks largely to the Z (worth 10).
- GenerationZeinab peaked in 1999, which makes it a Gen Z name. The typical Zeinab you'd meet today is about 26 years old.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Zeinab would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 61,728 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryZeinab first shows up in US birth records in 1982, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 43 years since.
- Where it's lovedWant to meet a lot of Zeinabs? Head to Michigan, where it's the #965 girl name, its best showing of any state.
US births per million girls, 1982–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Zeinab
Zeinab is a girl name of Arabic origin meaning “fragrant plant”. Its two syllables give it an easy rhythm, and the consonant at the end gives it a confident finish. It hit its peak in the 1990s and is climbing again now. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Arabic names
More Arabic girl names
- Girl name: Eleanor · possibly light
- Girl name: Layla · night
- Girl name: Lyla · night
- Girl name: Aaliyah · exalted
- Girl name: Amira · princess
- Girl name: Lilly · lily flower
- Girl name: Leila · night
- Girl name: Aliyah · ascent
Questions about the name Zeinab
What does the name Zeinab mean?
Zeinab means “fragrant plant” and comes from Arabic. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Zainab (“possibly fragrant plant”), Zaynab (“fragrant plant”), Marwa (“fragrant plant”) and Kayo (“often fragrant era”).
What is the origin of the name Zeinab?
Zeinab is Arabic in origin. Other Arabic names to consider are Eleanor (“possibly light”), Layla (“night”), Lyla (“night”) and Aaliyah (“exalted”).
Is Zeinab a boy or girl name?
Zeinab is a girl name. In 2025, 26 US girls were named Zeinab.
How popular is the name Zeinab?
Zeinab ranked #4,987 for US girls in 2025, given to 26 babies. Its best year was 1999, when it reached #2,567. Over the last five years it has climbed 16 places.
What names are similar to Zeinab?
If you like Zeinab, you might also like Zainab, Zaynab, Marwa and Kayo.
What should I know before naming my baby Zeinab?
Zeinab is an Arabic girl name meaning “fragrant plant”. Arabic names are often chosen for a virtue or a blessing parents hope their child will carry. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds crisp and confident, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.