Boy · #6,263 in 2026

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo River, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the north, and Mozambique to the east. The capital and largest city is Harare, and the second largest is Bulawayo.

Current Rank
#6,263
Peak Rank
#6,263 (1981)
Total Babies
5
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1981
First Year
1981
Last Year
1981
Peak Year
#6263
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo River, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the north, and Mozambique to the east. The capital and largest city is Harare, and the second largest is Bulawayo.

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

Etymology
Further information: Rhodesia (name) The name "Zimbabwe" stems from a Shona term for Great Zimbabwe , a medieval city ( Masvingo ) in the country's south-east. Two different theories address the origin of the word. Many sources hold that "Zimbabwe" derives from dzimba-dza-mabwe , translated from the Karanga dialect of Shona as "houses of stones" ( dzimba = plural of imba , "house"; mabwe = plural of ibwe , "stone"). The Karanga -speaking Shona people live around Great Zimbabwe in the modern-day Masvingo province. Archaeologist Peter Garlake claims that "Zimbabwe" represents a contracted form o
Origin & history
Main article: History of Zimbabwe

The Story of Zimbabwe

The earliest SSA record of Zimbabwe as a baby boy name dates back to 1981, when 5 babies received it. 1981 was its biggest year on record, with 5 newborns named Zimbabwe — #6,263 in the national rankings. Zimbabwe last appeared in the published SSA data in 1981, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 5 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
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OR
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SD
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IL
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OH
PA
NJ
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NV
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NE
MO
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Zimbabwe

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

  • Simbabwe
  • Zimbabwean
  • Sumbawa
  • Zabawa
  • Sambar
  • Cbb
  • Cpb

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Zimbabwe

What does the name Zimbabwe mean?
Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo River, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the north, and Mozambique to the east. The capital and largest city is Harare, and the second largest is Bulawayo.
How popular is Zimbabwe in 2026?
In 2026, Zimbabwe ranks #6,263 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Zimbabwe most popular?
Zimbabwe reached its peak popularity in 1981, ranking #6,263 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Zimbabwe a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Zimbabwe is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Zimbabwe?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Zimbabwe include Abdull, Afsheen, Alterik. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Abdull
Peak #6263
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Afsheen
Peak #6263
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Alterik
Peak #6263
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Antavis
Peak #6263
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Ared
Peak #6263
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Arnaud
Peak #6263
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Avshalom
Peak #6263
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Bean
Peak #6263

About the name Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1981 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Zimbabwe's peak popularity came in 1981 when it ranked #6,263. Use the chart and map above to compare Zimbabwe'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.