Imani
Imani is a name with multiple cultural origins: Swahili, African American.
- Swahili
- African American
Meaning & Origin of Imani
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Imani is a name with multiple cultural origins: Swahili, African American.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swahili
- African American
The Story of Imani
The earliest SSA record of Imani as a baby girl name dates back to 1970, when 9 babies received it. 1998 was its biggest year on record, with 1,222 newborns named Imani — #253 in the national rankings. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 31% of all recorded Imanis. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #493 among baby girl names with 615 births, holding steady (+5%). In total, more than 29K Imanis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Imani
Phonetically similar names — useful when Imani is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Imani
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About the name Imani
Imani is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1970 and has accumulated 29K births in the dataset. Imani's peak popularity came in 1998 when it ranked #239. Use the chart and map above to compare Imani's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1998 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.