Sarai

♀ Girl

Pronounced SAH-ry /ˈsɑː.raɪ/High

Meaning: From Hebrew Saray meaning my princess or my lady; the original name of the biblical Sarah, wife of Abraham, before God changed it to Sarah meaning princessHigh

In 30 seconds: Sarai is the original biblical form of Sarah — meaning 'my princess' — the name God gave Abraham's wife before her covenant renaming, giving it a depth and intimacy that Sarah alone cannot match.

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Origin HighHebrew

MeaningFrom Hebrew Saray meaning my princess or my lady; the original name of the biblical Sarah, wife of Abraham, before God changed it to Sarah meaning princess

U.S. rank (2025)#425 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births733 girls (0.04% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2007

Total births (all-time)≈ 22,914

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Sarai is the original Hebrew form of the name later changed to Sarah. The change from Saray (my princess) to Sarah (princess, noblewoman) is recorded in Genesis 17:15 as part of God's covenant with Abraham.

Sarai has been used alongside Sarah in Jewish and Christian communities for centuries. In the United States it gained traction in the late 20th century as an alternative to Sarah, offering a more personal and unusual feel.

Did you know? In Genesis 17:15, God renamed Sarai to Sarah, changing the possessive 'my princess' to the universal 'princess' — one of scripture's few recorded divine name changes, making Sarai the original, more personal form of one of the world's great names.

Overall data confidence 95%

Behind the Name — Sarai — etymology and biblical historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

SarahSara

Nicknames

SariRai

Famous Bearers

★Sarai (biblical) (biblical)
Original name of Sarah, wife of the patriarch Abraham, before her name was changed by God in Genesis 17:15.

If you like Sarai…

Sarah— the parallel form of the same name, sharing the princess meaning and biblical depth

Zara— shares the royal meaning (Arabic zahr/Hebrew sarai) and the same sharp, elegant ending

Amara— fellow melodic two-syllable name with a similar multicultural, spiritual feel

Naomi— another Old Testament woman's name with the same intimate Hebrew resonance

Frequently Asked

What does the name Sarai mean?

Sarai means my princess in Hebrew; it was the original name of biblical Sarah before God renamed her in Genesis.

How do you pronounce Sarai?

It is said SAH-ry /ˈsɑː.raɪ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Sarai different from Sarah?

Sarai and Sarah are related: Sarai is the original form meaning my princess, while Sarah means princess universally; both appear in Genesis.

Is Sarai popular?

Sarai has been rising in the U.S. as parents look for distinctive biblical alternatives to the well-used Sarah.