Impi
Impi is a Nguni word meaning war or combat and by association any body of men gathered for war; for example, impi ya masosha is a term denoting an army. Impi were formed from regiments from large militarised homesteads. In English impi is often used to refer to a Zulu regiment, which is called an ibutho in Zulu, or the army of the Zulu Kingdom.
- Finnish
Meaning & Origin of Impi
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Impi is a Nguni word meaning war or combat and by association any body of men gathered for war; for example, impi ya masosha is a term denoting an army. Impi were formed from regiments from large militarised homesteads. In English impi is often used to refer to a Zulu regiment, which is called an ibutho in Zulu, or the army of the Zulu Kingdom.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Finnish
The Story of Impi
The earliest SSA record of Impi as a baby girl name dates back to 1904, when 5 babies received it. 1917 was its biggest year on record, with 11 newborns named Impi — #2,693 in the national rankings. About 57% of every Impi on record arrived during the 1910s, its defining decade. Impi last appeared in the published SSA data in 1921, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 40 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1900s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Where is Impi most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- Finland30%
- South Africa28%
- MW19%
- ZW12%
- Indonesia10%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Impi
Phonetically similar names — useful when Impi is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Impy
- Impie
- Empie
- Impo
- Mpy
- Impa
- Imby
- Empi
- Mpi
- Imbi
- Ampi
- Ompi
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Impi
What does the name Impi mean?
What is the origin of the name Impi?
How popular is Impi in 2026?
When was Impi most popular?
Is Impi a unisex name?
What names go well with Impi?
About the name Impi
Impi is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1904 and has accumulated 40 births in the dataset. Impi's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #2,693. Use the chart and map above to compare Impi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1917 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- 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.