How to say it
za · IRE
/zɑːˈɪər/
Masculine
Zaire
River that swallows rivers
What it means
From the Kikongo nzere, 'river that swallows all rivers'; the old name of the Congo.
Zaire is the historic name of the Congo and its mighty river, from the Kikongo nzere, described as 'the river that swallows all rivers.' Strong and flowing, it is the original behind the trendy respelling Zyaire. Basketball's Zaire Wade, son of Dwyane Wade, gave it a fresh profile. Said zah-EER.
Popularity over time
peaked at #466 in 2023, currently #503 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
The original behind the respelling Zyaire.
- Pop culture
Zaire Wade, son of NBA star Dwyane Wade.
Spelling variants
- Zyaire
- Zaihre
- Zayire
Names with the same feeling
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