Actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal have revealed the name of their baby girl – Zuneyra Ida Fazal. Talking to Vogue India about parenthood, the couple spoke about their baby, who was born on July 16. Here’s what the name means. (Also Read: Step inside Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha’s dreamy Mumbai home: Where books, sustainability and parenthood come together)
What does Zuneyra mean?
According to Urdu Point, Zuneyra, typically written as Zunaira, means ‘flower of paradise’ in Urdu. However, the name can have multiple meanings, according to Mom Junction, and it can also mean moonlight or guiding light. The interviewer stated that Ali wrote down Zuneyra’s name in their diary to ensure there was no misheard spelling or typo, given that they picked a different spelling, too.
Interestingly, her middle name, Ida, while having German origins and translating to hardworking, also has Sanskrit roots. According to Baby Center, the name can mean ‘flow of praise and worship’ and is associated with Goddess Saraswati and Durga. The couple is lovingly calling her Zuni for short.
Richa and Ali married under the Special Marriage Act in 2020 and celebrated their union in 2022.
Ali and Richa about parenthood
In the interview, Ali shared that he now has ‘serious anxiety’ when he leaves home because he wants to spend time with his child and Richa. He said, “Having a baby fills a void that you weren’t even aware existed. That part never ceases to amaze me. It’s freakin’ hard to work now. I have serious anxiety when I leave home because I just want to see the baby all the time and be around Richa and her.”
Richa also candidly shared that a year ago, she was ‘firmly’ against having a baby due to climate change. “A year ago, I was firmly against having a child, and climate change was a very big reason. Eco-anxiety is a real thing for people like me who lie awake thinking about it. Dia Mirza, a really good friend of mine, actually lives her truth. Many of the baby items in my home are from when she was pregnant. The books are gifts from Soha Ali Khan and my prenatal yoga instructor,” she said.
Richa was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar on Netflix. Ali was last seen in Mirzapur 3 on Prime Video. He will soon be seen in Mirzapur The Film, Metro…In Dino, Lahore 1947 and Thug Life.