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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kawanza

Kawanza

♀ Girl

Pronounced kuh-WAHN-zuh /kəˈwɑːn.zə/Low

Meaning: Kawanza takes its name from Kwanzaa, the African-American cultural celebration founded in the mid-nineteen-sixties. The holiday's name comes from the Swahili phrase 'matunda ya kwanza,' 'first fruits of the harvest,' where kwanza means 'first.' As a given name it honors that heritage and the ideals of the week-long observance.Medium

In 30 seconds: Kawanza comes from Kwanzaa, the African-American holiday; its Swahili root kwanza means 'first.' A heritage name that stayed rare (said kuh-WAHN-zuh).
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Origin LowSwahili, American
MeaningKawanza takes its name from Kwanzaa, the African-American cultural celebration founded in the mid-nineteen-sixties. The holiday's name comes from the Swahili phrase 'matunda ya kwanza,' 'first fruits of the harvest,' where kwanza means 'first.' As a given name it honors that heritage and the ideals of the week-long observance.
U.S. rank (1996)#14583 ↘ Falling
1996 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1980
Total births (all-time)≈ 48

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198019771996

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

Kawanza is a heritage name drawn from Kwanzaa, the week-long African-American celebration of family, community, and culture created in the mid-nineteen-sixties. Its Swahili root, kwanza, means 'first,' from the 'first fruits' harvest festivals the holiday echoes. Parents chose it to honor that observance and its seven guiding principles, which we note respectfully.

It was never common, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its small peak around nineteen-eighty, as the young holiday gained wider notice. A woman named Kawanza then is now in her forties.

Did you know? The holiday Kwanzaa, and the name Kawanza with it, draws on Swahili - 'kwanza' means 'first,' from the phrase for the 'first fruits' of the harvest that the celebration honors each winter.
Overall data confidence 50%
References - Kawanza — From the holiday Kwanzaa; Swahili kwanza 'first'; heritage handled respectfully; moderate confidence.

Variations

KwanzaKwanzaaKawanzaaKawana

Nicknames

KawaWanzaKay

Famous Bearers

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If you like Kawanza…

Nia— a Kwanzaa principle name (Swahili 'purpose')
Imani— a Kwanzaa principle name (Swahili 'faith')
Ashanti— a like African-heritage girl's name
Kenya— a comparable Swahili-linked name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kawanza mean?

It comes from Kwanzaa, the African-American cultural holiday, whose name is from the Swahili phrase for 'first fruits'; kwanza means 'first.'

How do you pronounce Kawanza?

It is said kuh-WAHN-zuh /kəˈwɑːn.zə/ - three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Kawanza a boy or girl name?

Kawanza is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Kawanza?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak around nineteen-eighty.

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