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Home › Baby Names Directory › Cinque

Cinque

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Cinque

Pronounced SEEN-kay /ˈsiːn.keɪ/Medium

Meaning: Cinque has two honest readings. In Italian it is simply the number 'five', a word-name. In American history it is the anglicized name given to Sengbe Pieh, the Mende man from Sierra Leone who led the 1839 revolt aboard the schooner Amistad and won freedom in a landmark court case; he was called Joseph Cinque. Many American bearers honor that second, historical meaning.Low

In 30 seconds: Cinque is Italian for 'five' and also the anglicized name of Sengbe Pieh, leader of the Amistad revolt. A rare boy's name of the later twentieth century (said SEEN-kay).
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Origin LowItalian, African
MeaningCinque has two honest readings. In Italian it is simply the number 'five', a word-name. In American history it is the anglicized name given to Sengbe Pieh, the Mende man from Sierra Leone who led the 1839 revolt aboard the schooner Amistad and won freedom in a landmark court case; he was called Joseph Cinque. Many American bearers honor that second, historical meaning.
U.S. rank (2022)#10022 ↗ Rising
2022 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1998
Total births (all-time)≈ 339

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199819692022

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cinque carries two threads. As an Italian word-name it means simply 'five'. As an American given name it most often honors Sengbe Pieh, called Joseph Cinque, who led the revolt aboard the Amistad in eighteen thirty-nine and whose case reached the highest court. Families choosing it, especially in Black naming traditions, usually mean the historical figure.

As a birth name it stayed rare, reaching only a couple dozen boys a year around its late peak near 1998 and appearing thinly across the decades. A boy named Cinque then is in his twenties now.

Did you know? Cinque was the American name of Sengbe Pieh, the Mende captive who led the 1839 Amistad revolt and won his freedom in the United States courts; the same word means 'five' in Italian.
Overall data confidence 50%
References - Cinque / Sengbe Pieh — Italian 'five'; anglicized name of Amistad leader Sengbe Pieh (Joseph Cinque)

Variations

CincoSengbe

Nicknames

Cinq

Famous Bearers

  • ★Sengbe Pieh (Joseph Cinque) (c. 1814-c. 1879)
    Mende man from Sierra Leone who led the 1839 Amistad revolt and won freedom in a landmark United States court case

If you like Cinque…

Kwame— a like African heritage boy's name
Malik— another heritage name of the same feel
Carmine— a fellow Italian choice
Ciro— another Italian name
Coda— a fellow Italian choice

Explore names like Cinque

By themeheritageitalianhistorical

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cinque mean?

Cinque is Italian for 'five'; it is also the anglicized name of Sengbe Pieh, who led the Amistad revolt, and many bearers honor that history.

How do you pronounce Cinque?

As a given name it is often said SEEN-kay /ˈsiːn.keɪ/, two syllables; the Italian word is said differently.

Is Cinque a boy or girl name?

Cinque is used as a boy's name.

Is Cinque a popular name?

No, it has always been rare, appearing in small numbers through the later twentieth century.

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