Kinta

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Kinta

Pronounced KIN-tuh /ˈkɪn.tə/Medium

Meaning: Kinta is a rare boys' name whose American use in the later nineteen-seventies closely echoes Kunta Kinte, the enslaved African hero of Alex Haley's Roots. The name Kinte is a real Mandinka surname; Kinta reads as a variant or adaptation of it. Its own etymology as used here is uncertain, so we note it rather than assert a fixed meaning.Low

In 30 seconds: Kinta is a rare name whose American appearance echoes Kunta Kinte, the hero of Roots. Its exact origin as used here is uncertain, which we note honestly (said 'KIN-tuh').

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Kinta

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Origin LowAmerican

MeaningKinta is a rare boys' name whose American use in the later nineteen-seventies closely echoes Kunta Kinte, the enslaved African hero of Alex Haley's Roots. The name Kinte is a real Mandinka surname; Kinta reads as a variant or adaptation of it. Its own etymology as used here is uncertain, so we note it rather than assert a fixed meaning.

U.S. rank (1982)#6907 ↘ Falling

1982 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1977

Total births (all-time)≈ 73

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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

Kinta is a very rare name that appears in American records mainly in the later nineteen-seventies, closely tracking the enormous impact of Roots and its hero Kunta Kinte. The surname Kinte is authentically Mandinka; Kinta reads as a variant or echo of it, though its precise origin in this spelling is uncertain.

It was always vanishingly rare, given to only a handful of boys a year across a short window peaking in 1977. Rather than invent a meaning, we present it honestly as a likely cultural echo of Roots and flag its origin as uncertain.

Did you know? Kinta surfaces as a boys' name right around 1977 - the year the Roots miniseries gripped the nation - suggesting families were honoring its hero Kunta Kinte, whose surname Kinte is a genuine Mandinka name.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Kinta — Echoes Kunta Kinte (Roots); Kinte is Mandinka; spelling origin uncertain

Variations

KinteKintae

Nicknames

Kin

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If you like Kinta…

Kwame— a like African-heritage boy's name of the same era

Malik— a period-matched name honoring African roots

Jabari— another African name that gained US use in the seventies

Tarik— a similar heritage-minded boy's name of the period

Explore names like Kinta

By themeuncertain very-rare

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kinta mean?

Kinta is a rare name whose US use echoes Kunta Kinte of Roots; its exact origin in this spelling is uncertain.

How do you pronounce Kinta?

It's said KIN-tuh /ˈkɪn.tə/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kinta a boy or girl name?

Kinta is recorded here as a boy's name.

How popular is Kinta?

Kinta is extremely rare, appearing mainly in the later nineteen-seventies.