Zakariya is the Arabic form of Zechariah, from the Hebrew Zekharyah, meaning “God has remembered”. It is the name of the Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him), the guardian of Maryam and father of Yahya, whose dua for a child was answered in his old age. In 2025 Zakariya was 120th among boys in England and Wales.
What does Zakariya mean?
The Hebrew name Zekharyah joins zakhar, “to remember”, with Yah, a short form of God’s name: “God has remembered”. The meaning fits the Prophet’s story perfectly, because the Qur’an opens his story with the words “A mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zakariya” (19:2).
How do you pronounce Zakariya?
Say za-ka-REE-ya, with the stress on the long “ee”. Some families say za-ka-REE-yah with a gentle “h” at the end.
How do you spell Zakariya? Spellings and variants
- Zakariya: the most popular spelling in England and Wales.
- Zakariyya (closest to the Arabic, with the doubled “y”), Zakaria, Zakariyah, Zakarya.
- English Zachary, Zachariah and Zechariah.
Zakaria and Zakariyya rank separately, so this name is more popular than any one spelling suggests.
How popular is Zakariya in the UK?
| Spelling | Rank in 2025 | Babies in 2025 | Change since 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zakariya | 120 | 421 | up 7 places |
| Zakaria | 522 | – | down 104 places |
| Zakariyya | 529 | – | up 73 places |
| Zachary (English form) | 75 | – | down 6 places |
| Zachariah (English form) | 346 | – | up 25 places |
The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him)
Zakariya was a Prophet of the Children of Israel and the guardian of Maryam when she was a girl. Whenever he visited her in her prayer room, he found food with her, and she told him, “It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account” (3:37).
Seeing Allah’s generosity to Maryam, the old Prophet prayed privately for a child of his own: “My Lord, my bones have weakened and my head has turned white, and never have I been unhappy in my prayer to You” (19:4). In another surah his dua is, “My Lord, do not leave me alone, and You are the best of inheritors” (21:89). Allah answered with the good news of a son, Yahya (19:7). As a sign, Zakariya could not speak to people for three nights except by gestures (19:10).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned that Zakariya was a carpenter (Sahih Muslim 2379), a lovely detail for children: a Prophet who worked with his hands.
Zakariya’s dua is a favourite for teaching children that Allah hears quiet prayers. His story is closely tied to Maryam and Isa, whose story is one of the five in the Hudhud book; see Prophet Isa for kids. Our guide on teaching kids about Allah has more on dua.
What middle names go with Zakariya?
What are nicknames for Zakariya?
Zak and Zaki are the usual choices; Zaki is also an Arabic name in its own right, meaning “pure” or “bright”.
What are good sibling names for Zakariya?
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
What does Zakariya mean?
Zakariya is the Arabic form of Zechariah, from the Hebrew Zekharyah, “God has remembered”. The meaning suits the Prophet’s story: Allah answered his prayer and gave him a son in old age (19:2–7).
Is Zakariya in the Qur’an?
Yes. The Prophet Zakariya is named in the Qur’an, and his story is told in Al Imran (3:37–41), Maryam (19:2–11) and Al-Anbiya (21:89–90). He was the guardian of Maryam and the father of the Prophet Yahya.
What is the dua of Zakariya?
One well-known version is “My Lord, do not leave me alone, and You are the best of inheritors” (21:89). He also prayed, “My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring” (3:38).
Which spelling is most popular in the UK?
Zakariya, given to 421 boys in England and Wales in 2025 and ranked 120th. Zakaria (522nd) and Zakariyya (529th) are counted separately by the ONS, and the English form Zachary was 75th.
Is Zakariya a lucky name?
Islam does not treat names as lucky (Sahih al-Bukhari 5776). Zakariya is chosen for the Prophet who prayed in old age and was answered, and who, the Prophet Muhammad said, worked as a carpenter (Sahih Muslim 2379).
What are nicknames for Zakariya?
Zak and Zaki are the usual choices. Zaki is also an Arabic name in its own right, meaning “pure” or “bright”.
What are good middle names for Zakariya?
Zakariya Yahya, Zakariya Ali, Zakariya Adam and Zakariya Yusuf are good pairings, as is Muhammad Zakariya.
Is Zakariya the same as Zachary?
Yes. Zakariya, Zachariah, Zechariah and Zachary all come from the Hebrew Zekharyah, “God has remembered”. In England and Wales, Zachary ranked 75th in 2025 (ONS).