Shahidi was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to a mother, Keri Salter Shahidi, of African-American and Ewe descent, and a father, Afshin Shahidi, a photographer.The family moved to California for Afshin’s work when Yara was 4. She is the older sister of child actor and model Sayeed Shahidi, and they have a younger brother, Ehsan.The rapper Nas is their cousin.Keri Shahidi said the name Yara translates to “someone who is capable to do something, or someone is so strong and clever to do something hard” in the Persian language.
I Love You Yara