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Farrah

♀ Girl

Pronounced FAIR-uh /ˈfɛər.ə/High

Meaning: Joy, happiness; from Arabic farah (joy, happiness, delight)High

In 30 seconds: An Arabic name meaning 'joy' or 'happiness,' whose most famous bearer was actress Farrah Fawcett — whose 1976 Charlie's Angels poster became one of the best-selling posters in history and made the name iconic.

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Origin HighArabic

MeaningJoy, happiness; from Arabic farah (joy, happiness, delight)

U.S. rank (2024)#1150 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births209 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1977

Total births (all-time)≈ 11,984

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Farrah derives from Arabic farah (joy, happiness, delight), a common root in Arabic names and vocabulary. It is a given name in Arabic-speaking cultures and gained enormous English-language visibility through Farrah Fawcett.

Farrah appeared on U.S. charts primarily from the 1970s onward, driven by Farrah Fawcett's fame. It ranked #1150 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? Farrah Fawcett's iconic 1976 swimsuit poster sold over 12 million copies — making it one of the best-selling posters of the 20th century and cementing Farrah as a symbol of 1970s style.

Overall data confidence 89%

Behind the Name — Farrah — Arabic etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

FaraFarah

Nicknames

Far

Famous Bearers

★Farrah Fawcett (1947–2009)
American actress and model, known for Charlie's Angels (1976–1977) and The Burning Bed (1984). Her 1976 poster became a hugely popular bestseller.

If you like Farrah…

Farah— the standard Arabic spelling of the same joy-name

Zara— Arabic/Hebrew name with similar brightness and two-syllable flow

Sara— two-syllable -ra ending name with the same simple elegance

Amara— three-syllable Arabic/African name with a similar warmth

Lara— two-syllable name with the same breezy -ara ending

Explore names like Farrah

By themearabic two-syllable celebrity-name joy happiness

By meaningJoy

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Farrah mean?

Farrah means 'joy' or 'happiness' in Arabic, from farah (delight, joy).

How do you pronounce Farrah?

It's said FAIR-uh — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Farrah a boy or girl name?

Farrah is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Farrah?

Farrah ranked #1150 for U.S. girls in 2024.