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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kinte

Kinte

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Kinte

Pronounced KIN-tay /ˈkɪn.teɪ/Medium

Meaning: A Mandinka (West African) surname, borne by the character Kunta Kinte in Alex Haley's 'Roots.' As an American given name it honors that figure and heritage rather than carrying a settled dictionary gloss; origin as a first name is uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: A heritage name from 'Roots': Kinte honors Kunta Kinte, a Mandinka surname (said 'KIN-tay'). Its 1977 spike is unmistakable.
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Kinte
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Origin LowMandinka, American
MeaningA Mandinka (West African) surname, borne by the character Kunta Kinte in Alex Haley's 'Roots.' As an American given name it honors that figure and heritage rather than carrying a settled dictionary gloss; origin as a first name is uncertain.
U.S. rank (2003)#10298 ↘ Falling
2003 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1977
Total births (all-time)≈ 213
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Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197719762003

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

Kinte is a Mandinka surname carried by Kunta Kinte in Alex Haley's 'Roots.' The 1977 miniseries drove a sharp, brief rise in American boys named Kinte -- a name chosen for heritage and remembrance. It faded soon after; its first-name meaning is honorific rather than lexical, which we note (said 'KIN-tay').

Its use spiked sharply around 1977 and then dropped away. A heritage tribute name tied to a landmark broadcast.

Did you know? Kinte comes straight from the 1977 television event 'Roots,' where Kunta Kinte -- a name of Mandinka origin -- gripped the nation. Its use as a boys' first name spiked around 1977 as a tribute, then receded; as a given name its meaning is honorific, which we note (said 'KIN-tay').
Overall data confidence 40%
References -- Kinte — Mandinka surname; Kunta Kinte in 'Roots' (1977); first-name sense honorific

Variations

KuntaKintéKintay

Nicknames

KinKenny

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kinte…

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kinte mean?

Kinte is a Mandinka surname made famous by Kunta Kinte in 'Roots'; as a first name it honors that heritage, which we note.

How do you pronounce Kinte?

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

Is Kinte a boy or girl name?

Kinte is used here as a boy's name.

How popular is Kinte?

Kinte is very rare; it appeared briefly in the late nineteen-seventies after a landmark television event and quickly faded.

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