Khaya

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAH-yah /ˈkɑː.jɑː/Medium

Meaning: From the Zulu/Xhosa khaya, 'home,' and also the name of the African mahogany tree (genus Khaya). A warm, grounded nature-and-home name.Low

In 30 seconds: A warm South African name: Khaya means 'home' (said 'KAH-yah'). Grounded and rare.

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Origin MediumZulu, Xhosa

MeaningFrom the Zulu/Xhosa khaya, 'home,' and also the name of the African mahogany tree (genus Khaya). A warm, grounded nature-and-home name.

U.S. rank (2024)#16467 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2014

Total births (all-time)≈ 243

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Khaya comes from the Zulu/Xhosa for 'home,' and doubles as the African mahogany (genus Khaya). Warm and rooted, it reads as both a home word and a tree name -- rare in the U.S. (said 'KAH-yah').

In the U.S. it appears very rarely. Extremely rare, warm, and grounded.

Did you know? Khaya is Zulu and Xhosa for 'home'; it is also the name of the African mahogany tree, which we note honestly -- a grounded, welcoming name (said 'KAH-yah').

Overall data confidence 46%

References -- Khaya — Zulu/Xhosa word name -- noted honestly. audio_use_respelling true.

Variations

KhayahKayaKhaia

Nicknames

KayKhay

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Khaya…

Kaya— a near-twin in sound

Amara— a like warm African name

Zola— a like South African name

Nia— a like short African word name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Khaya mean?

Khaya is Zulu and Xhosa for 'home'; it also names the African mahogany tree.

How do you pronounce Khaya?

It's said KAH-yah /ˈkɑː.jɑː/ -- two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Khaya a boy or girl name?

Khaya is a girl's name.

How popular is Khaya?

Khaya is an extremely rare name in the U.S.