How to say it
ZU · ri
/ˈzʊr.i/
Feminine
Zuri
Beautiful, good
What it means
Swahili for 'beautiful' or 'good.'
Zuri is the Swahili word for 'beautiful' or 'good,' a bright, simple East African name that has climbed quickly in the US, especially in Black families drawn to its sound and meaning. The 2018 film Black Panther, with its character Zuri, gave it a fresh cultural boost. It is short, warm, and unmistakably positive. ZOOR-ee, with the stress up front.
Popularity over time
peaked at #194 in 2022, currently #329 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
- Pop culture
Boosted by Black Panther; the Swahili meaning, 'beautiful,' is the draw.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Zuri a character in Marvel's Black Panther
Spelling variants
- Zurie
- Zury
- Zurih
Names with the same feeling
See Zuri from another angle
By meaning