Nkosi
Nkosi is a Nguni word for "king", "chief" and "lord". Nkosi is a common name and surname among Nguni people. Notable people with the name include:
Meaning & Origin of Nkosi
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nkosi is a Nguni word for "king", "chief" and "lord". Nkosi is a common name and surname among Nguni people. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Nkosi
Nkosi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1972, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2001, when 39 Nkosis were born — ranking #2,489 that year. As of 2026, Nkosi ranks #9,821 for baby boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 367 Nkosis 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 Nkosi
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nkosi 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 Nkosi
What does the name Nkosi mean?
How popular is Nkosi in 2026?
When was Nkosi most popular?
In which U.S. states is Nkosi most popular?
Is Nkosi a unisex name?
What names go well with Nkosi?
About the name Nkosi
Nkosi is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1972 and has accumulated 367 births in the dataset. Nkosi's peak popularity came in 2001 when it ranked #2,489. Use the chart and map above to compare Nkosi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2001 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy 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.