Chimamanda
A feminine given name of Nigerian origin meaning "Let God fight for me".
Name Census estimates that about 509 living Americans carry the first name Chimamanda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Chimamanda today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Chimamanda births was 2018 (60 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Chimamanda. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Chimamanda with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
509
~ 1 in 673,388 Americans
Peak year
2018
60 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,386
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Chimamanda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Chimamanda from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 344 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Chimamanda remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Chimamanda by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Chimamanda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Chimamandas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, Maryland, California recorded the most babies named Chimamanda, while New York, Georgia, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 40 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Chimamanda
The name Chimamanda originated from the Igbo language spoken in southeastern Nigeria. It is a compound name formed by combining the words "Chi" meaning "God" and "mamanda" meaning "beautiful thing." Therefore, the name Chimamanda translates to "God's beautiful thing" or "beautiful thing of God."
The earliest recorded use of the name Chimamanda dates back to the 19th century in the Igbo region of Nigeria. It was a popular name among the Igbo people, reflecting their cultural values and beliefs. The name was often given to children as a way of expressing gratitude to God for the gift of a beautiful child.
In the early 20th century, the name Chimamanda gained wider recognition outside the Igbo community. One of the earliest notable people to bear this name was Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian writer and feminist born in 1977. She is renowned for her novels, including "Purple Hibiscus," "Half of a Yellow Sun," and "Americanah," which explore themes of identity, race, and gender.
Another prominent figure named Chimamanda was Chimamanda Nnabuife, a Nigerian actress and broadcaster. She was born in 1942 and gained fame for her roles in numerous Nigerian films and television shows, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria.
In the realm of politics, Chimamanda Ngozi Uche was a Nigerian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2003. She was born in 1950 and played a crucial role in shaping Nigeria's foreign policy during her tenure.
The name Chimamanda has also been associated with notable scholars and intellectuals. Chimamanda Ngozi Okoye, born in 1965, is a Nigerian academic and author who has written extensively on African literature and cultural studies.
While the name Chimamanda is predominantly used in Nigeria, it has gained global recognition due to the international success of notable individuals bearing this name. Its meaning and cultural significance continue to resonate with people around the world, serving as a reminder of the beauty and diversity of the Igbo language and culture.
People
Chimamanda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Chimamanda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Chimamanda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Chimamanda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 509 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Chimamanda going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 673,388 US residents.
Is Chimamanda a common name?
We classify Chimamanda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 513 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Chimamanda most popular?
The single biggest year for Chimamanda was 2018, when 60 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Chimamanda is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Chimamanda in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Chimamanda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Chimamanda in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Chimamanda still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Chimamanda in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Chimamanda can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Chimamanda?
You can see how many Americans are named Chimamanda on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.