Girl · #8,561 in 2026

Kalimba

Mbira are a family of musical instruments, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. A western version is called the kalimba.

Current Rank
#8,561
Peak Rank
#6,900 (1974)
Total Babies
13
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1974
First Year
1978
Last Year
1974
Peak Year
#6900
Peak Rank
13
Total Count
2
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kalimba

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Mbira are a family of musical instruments, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. A western version is called the kalimba.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
A Zimbabwean mbira dza vadzimu Various kinds of plucked idiophones and lamellaphones have existed in Africa for thousands of years. [ citation needed ] The tines were originally made of bamboo but over the years metal keys have been developed. These types of instrument appear to have been invented twice in Africa: a wood or bamboo-tined instrument appeared on the west coast of Africa about 3,000 years ago, and metal-tined lamellophones appeared in the Zambezi River valley around 1,300 years ago. Metal-tined instruments traveled all across the continent, becoming popular among the Shona of Zimb

The Story of Kalimba

Kalimba first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1974, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1974, when 7 Kalimbas were born — ranking #6,900 that year. As of 2026, Kalimba ranks #8,561 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 13 Kalimbas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Kalimba

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kalimba 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 Kalimba

What does the name Kalimba mean?
Mbira are a family of musical instruments, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. A western version is called the kalimba.
How popular is Kalimba in 2026?
In 2026, Kalimba ranks #8,561 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Kalimba most popular?
Kalimba reached its peak popularity in 1974, ranking #6,900 that year with 7 babies given the name.
Is Kalimba a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Kalimba is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Kalimba?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kalimba include Libia, Geannie, Crisanta. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Libia
Peak #6900
👧
Geannie
Peak #6900
👧
Crisanta
Peak #6900
👧
Sereta
Peak #6900
👧
Lawona
Peak #6900
👧
Regla
Peak #6900
👧
Sherritta
Peak #6900
👧
Demetre
Peak #6900

About the name Kalimba

Kalimba is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 13 births in the dataset. Kalimba's peak popularity came in 1974 when it ranked #6,900. Use the chart and map above to compare Kalimba's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.