Sarai

Sarai - A very unique female name

Sarai appeared on the charts for the first time in 1964 on position #2147. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Sarai and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Sarai? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Sarai. The baby girl name Sarai was given to 705 baby girls in 2025, ranking #424 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,849 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Sarai peaked in popularity 17 years ago in 2009 on position 398.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Sarai, 1-5?

Sarai is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Sarai is currently topping the baby name charts in District of Columbia at position #189 - and is the least popular in Kentucky at position #853.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Sarai is where you live.

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Sarai origin and meaning

Hebrew

Hebrew name of Abraham's wife before she was renamed Sarah; its meaning is disputed, often rendered 'my princess' from sar, 'prince/ruler'

In Genesis, Sarai is renamed Sarah by God. Long rare as a given name, Sarai entered wider U.S. use in the 1960s and has risen to #424, prized as a less-used alternative to Sarah.

Origin uncertain

Sarai is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Sarai, pop culture references for the name Sarai and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Sarai

We've found the following names that sound similar to Sarai, sorted by popularity.

Sarah / Sara / Sherry / Sierra / Sherri / Sheri / Shari / Sherrie / Sawyer / Sheree /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Sarai

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Sarai a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Sarai?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

suh-RY · /səˈraɪ/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Sarahi — Elaborated form
• Zaray — Rare respelling

Famous bearers

• Sarai — Wife of Abraham in Genesis, later renamed Sarah (Biblical) Historical

Style

BiblicalInternational

Why parents choose it

Biblical but uncommon, with a bright -ai ending that feels current.

Worth knowing

• Pronunciation splits (suh-RY vs SAR-ay) and it is routinely misheard as Sarah or Soraya.