Girl · #10,836 in 2026

Kinshasa

Kinshasa, formerly named Léopoldville from 1881 to 1966, is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, with an estimated population of 18.5 million in 2026.

Current Rank
#10,836
Peak Rank
#3,761 (1977)
Total Babies
116
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1971
First Year
1997
Last Year
1977
Peak Year
#3761
Peak Rank
116
Total Count
11
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kinshasa

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

Kinshasa, formerly named Léopoldville from 1881 to 1966, is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, with an estimated population of 18.5 million in 2026.

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

Origin & history
.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}} Main articles: History of Kinshasa , Timeline of Kinshasa , and Kinshasa (commune) § History View of Léopoldville station and port (1884) Kinshassa village (1912) In pre-colonial times, the area was inhabited by two trading centres, Ntamo and Ntsaasa , which were part of the Tio Kingdom . The city was es

The Story of Kinshasa

Kinshasa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1971, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1977, when 19 Kinshasas were born — ranking #3,761 that year. As of 2026, Kinshasa ranks #10,836 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 116 Kinshasas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

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 Kinshasa

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kinshasa is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Canasa
  • Contessa
  • Canossa
  • Canosa
  • Conscious
  • Congest
  • Camisa
  • Kennesaw
  • Kolasa
  • Colossae
  • Condesa
  • Consciously

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kinshasa

What does the name Kinshasa mean?
Kinshasa, formerly named Léopoldville from 1881 to 1966, is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, with an estimated population of 18.5 million in 2026.
How popular is Kinshasa in 2026?
In 2026, Kinshasa ranks #10,836 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.
When was Kinshasa most popular?
Kinshasa reached its peak popularity in 1977, ranking #3,761 that year with 19 babies given the name.
Is Kinshasa a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Kinshasa is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Kinshasa?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kinshasa include Dalana, Kima, Summar. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Dalana
Peak #3761
👧
Kima
Peak #3761
👧
Summar
Peak #3761
👧
Bryony
Peak #3761
👧
Rynn
Peak #3764
👧
Sayge
Peak #3764
👧
Scottlynn
Peak #3758
👧
Emunah
Peak #3758

About the name Kinshasa

Kinshasa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 116 births in the dataset. Kinshasa's peak popularity came in 1977 when it ranked #3,761. Use the chart and map above to compare Kinshasa'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.