Girl · #8,423 in 2026

Rwanda

Name: Popularity of the name Rwanda in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Rwanda, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Known as the "Land of a Thousand Hills" for its high elevation and rolling terrain, its geography is dominated by mountains in the west and savanna in the southeast.

Current Rank

#8,423

Peak Rank

#5,415 (1951)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1951

First Year

1973

Last Year

1951

Peak Year

#5415

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Rwanda

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

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

Etymology

The name Rwanda derives from the word Ku-aanda, meaning "expansion" or "spreading out from the centre", reflecting the historical growth of the Kingdom of Rwanda .

Origin & history

Main articles: History of Rwanda , German East Africa , and Ruanda-Urundi Modern human settlement of what is now Rwanda dates from, at the latest, the last glacial period , either in the Neolithic period around 8,000 BC, or in the long humid period which followed, up to around 3,000 BC. Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of sparse settlement by hunter-gatherers in the late Stone Age , followed by a larger population of early Iron Age settlers, who produced dimpled pottery and iron tools. These early inhabitants were the ancestors of the Twa , aboriginal pygmy hunter-gatherers wh

The Story of Rwanda

Rwanda first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1951, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1951, when 5 Rwandas were born — ranking #5,415 that year. As of 2026, Rwanda ranks #8,423 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 10 Rwandas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Rwanda

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

Rwandan
Rolanda
Ruanda
Raymonda
Towanda
Lawanda
Rewound
Redonda
Rewind
Rhonda
Ronda
Ramada

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rwanda

What does the name Rwanda mean?

How popular is Rwanda in 2026?

In 2026, Rwanda ranks #8,423 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Rwanda most popular?

Rwanda reached its peak popularity in 1951, ranking #5,415 that year with 5 babies given the name.

Is Rwanda a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Rwanda is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Rwanda?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Rwanda include Alphea, Ballarie, Carlan. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Rwanda

Rwanda is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1951 and has accumulated 10 births in the dataset. Rwanda's peak popularity came in 1951 when it ranked #5,415. Use the chart and map above to compare Rwanda'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.