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Kweli
How to Pronounce Kweli
Pronounced KWEH-lee /ΛkwΙ.li/Medium
Meaning: Kweli is the Swahili word for 'truth' or 'true', used as a given name largely in African-American families drawn to Swahili virtue names. It carries the same aspirational, meaning-first spirit as names like Nia and Imani.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Kweli comes straight from Swahili, where it means 'truth' or 'true'. It belongs to the family of Swahili virtue names β Nia, Imani, Ashanti, Zuri β that African-American parents embraced from the late twentieth century onward as a way of honoring heritage through a word with clear, positive meaning.
As a given name it is genuinely rare in the United States, showing up only from around the turn of the millennium and never more than a few dozen times a year. Its visibility owes a good deal to hip-hop, where 'Kweli' reads instantly as 'truth'; as a birth name it remains an uncommon, meaning-driven choice rather than a common one.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Kweli mean?
Kweli is the Swahili word for 'truth' or 'true', used as a virtue name in the tradition of Nia and Imani.
How do you pronounce Kweli?
It's said KWEH-lee /ΛkwΙ.li/ β two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Kweli a boy or girl name?
Kweli is used here as a boy's name, though as a Swahili word it can suit either.
How popular is Kweli?
Kweli is a rare, meaning-driven name in the U.S., seen mainly since the turn of the millennium.