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Home › Baby Names Directory › Sarabi

Sarabi

♀ Girl

Pronounced sah-RAH-bee /sɑːˈrɑː.bi/Medium

Meaning: From the Swahili sarabi, 'mirage,' widely known as the name of Simba's mother in Disney's The Lion King. A gentle nature-and-story name.Low

In 30 seconds: A Swahili name from The Lion King: Sarabi means 'mirage' (said 'sah-RAH-bee'). Gentle and story-warm.
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Origin MediumSwahili
MeaningFrom the Swahili sarabi, 'mirage,' widely known as the name of Simba's mother in Disney's The Lion King. A gentle nature-and-story name.
U.S. rank (2025)#7084 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births16 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 278

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219952025

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

Sarabi comes from the Swahili for 'mirage.' It reached wide audiences as the regal lioness Sarabi in The Lion King, giving it story warmth alongside its African meaning — rare in the U.S. (said 'sah-RAH-bee').

It appears rarely, boosted by Disney fondness. Rare, story-warm, and gentle.

Did you know? Sarabi is Swahili for 'mirage' and is best known as the name of Simba's mother in The Lion King — a gentle, story-warm name with real African roots, which we note (said 'sah-RAH-bee').
Overall data confidence 50%
References — Sarabi — Swahili 'mirage'; Lion King character

Variations

SaraabiSarabhiSarabee

Nicknames

SaraBibi

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Sarabi…

Nala— a like Lion King Swahili name
Amara— a like warm African-feel name
Zuri— a like Swahili girl's name
Imani— a like Swahili virtue name

Explore names like Sarabi

By themepop-cultureswahilinature-adjacentgentle

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Sarabi mean?

Sarabi is Swahili for 'mirage'; it's also the name of Simba's mother in The Lion King.

How do you pronounce Sarabi?

It's said sah-RAH-bee /sɑːˈrɑː.bi/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Sarabi a boy or girl name?

Sarabi is a girl's name.

How popular is Sarabi?

Sarabi is a rare name in the U.S.

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