Unisex · #3,856 in 2026

Kimani

Kimani is a surname of Kenyan origin that may refer to:Harry Kimani, Kenyan musician Humphrey Kimani Njuguna, Kenyan politician Joseph Kimani (1972–2012), Kenyan long-distance runner Lucia Kimani, Kenyan-Bosnian marathon runner Martin Kimani, Kenyan ambassador to the United Nations Samwel Mushai Kimani, Kenyan visually impaired runner Victoria Kimani, Kenyan-American singer Wendy Kimani, Kenyan…

Current Rank
#3,856
Peak Rank
#1,364 (1998)
Total Babies
2K
5-Yr Trend
-11%
👧 Girl peak #1,889 (2K total)
👦 Boy peak #1,364 (2K total)
👦As Boy Name
1969
First Year
2026
Last Year
1998
Peak Year
#1364
Peak Rank
2K
Total Count
56
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1977
First Year
2026
Last Year
2008
Peak Year
#1889
Peak Rank
2K
Total Count
37
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kimani

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

Kimani is a surname of Kenyan origin that may refer to:Harry Kimani, Kenyan musician Humphrey Kimani Njuguna, Kenyan politician Joseph Kimani (1972–2012), Kenyan long-distance runner Lucia Kimani, Kenyan-Bosnian marathon runner Martin Kimani, Kenyan ambassador to the United Nations Samwel Mushai Kimani, Kenyan visually impaired runner Victoria Kimani, Kenyan-American singer Wendy Kimani, Kenyan…

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

The Story of Kimani

As a girl name

Kimani first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1977, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 111 Kimanis were born — ranking #1,902 that year. As of 2026, Kimani ranks #3,401 for girls with 46 births, gradually falling (-7%). In total, more than 2K Kimanis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Kimani first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1969, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1998, when 69 Kimanis were born — ranking #1,546 that year. As of 2026, Kimani ranks #3,856 for boys with 29 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 2K Kimanis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Kimani

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kimani 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 Kimani

What does the name Kimani mean?
Kimani is a surname of Kenyan origin that may refer to:Harry Kimani, Kenyan musician Humphrey Kimani Njuguna, Kenyan politician Joseph Kimani (1972–2012), Kenyan long-distance runner Lucia Kimani, Kenyan-Bosnian marathon runner Martin Kimani, Kenyan ambassador to the United Nations Samwel Mushai Kimani, Kenyan visually impaired runner Victoria Kimani, Kenyan-American singer Wendy Kimani, Kenyan…
How popular is Kimani in 2026?
In 2026, Kimani ranks #3,856 among boys' names in the U.S., with 29 babies given the name that year.
When was Kimani most popular?
Kimani reached its peak popularity in 1998, ranking #1,364 that year with 69 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Kimani most popular?
Kimani has historically been most popular in Michigan, Maryland, North Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Kimani.
Is Kimani a unisex name?
Yes — Kimani is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 50% of Kimanis assigned female and 50% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Kimani?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kimani include Glennon, Howie, Jamy. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Kimani

Kimani is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1969 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Kimani's peak popularity came in 1998 when it ranked #1,364. Use the chart and map above to compare Kimani'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.