Zakharova is the feminine form of the Russian surname Zakharov, itself meaning "son of Zakhar". Zakhar is a given name derived from the Greek and Latin Zacharias, which in turn comes from the Hebrew Zechariah (meaning "the Lord has remembered"). Thus, Zakharova etymologically signifies a female descendant of someone named Zakhar or Zacharias. Notable Bearers Among the prominent individuals with this surname is Maria Zakharova (born 1975), a Russian diplomat and journalist who has served as the official spokeswoman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2015. Other notable figures include athletes such as tennis player Anastasia Zakharova (born 2002) and handball player Halyna Zakharova (born 1947), as well as many figures in the arts, sciences, and military. The Wikipedia extract lists multiple individuals bearing the surname, reflecting its widespread presence across various fields. Distribution and Variants Zakharova is common in Russia, though less frequent than the base masculine form Zakharov. Related surnames in other Slavic languages include Bulgarian Zahariev (masculine) and Zaharieva (feminine), both originating from the given name Zakhar (or its equivalents). The surname is a patronymic formation, which is typical among Eastern and Southern Slavic cultures, created by adding the Slavic suffix -ov or -ova (the latter specifically denoting a female bearer). Meaning: Feminine form of "son of Zakhar" (ultimately from Hebrew "Zechariah", meaning "the Lord has remembered") Origin: Russian patronymic surname Types: Surname (feminine form) Usage Regions: Russia, Eastern Europe (with variants in Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian)