Ineza
A feminine name of African origin signifying beauty or grace.
Name Census estimates that about 100 living Americans carry the first name Ineza. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ineza today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ineza births was 2024 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ineza. 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.
People living today
100
~ 1 in 3,427,543 Americans
Peak year
2024
22 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,666
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Ineza: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ineza from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 71 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ineza 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 Ineza during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Inezas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ineza
The name Ineza has its origins in the Kinyarwanda language, spoken by the Banyarwanda people of Rwanda, a nation in East Africa. It is believed to have emerged in the late 15th or early 16th century, derived from the word "ineza," which means "goodness" or "kindness" in Kinyarwanda.
In traditional Rwandan culture, names often carried deeper meanings and were chosen to reflect desired qualities or aspirations for a child's life. Ineza was a name bestowed upon girls born into noble or influential families, with the hope that they would embody the virtues of goodness, compassion, and benevolence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ineza can be found in the oral histories and folktales passed down through generations of Rwandan storytellers. These stories often featured strong female characters named Ineza, celebrated for their kindness, wisdom, and leadership abilities.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Ineza. In the 17th century, Ineza Rwigara was a respected advisor to the Rwandan king, known for her diplomatic skills and commitment to peace. Later, in the 19th century, Ineza Nyiramongi was a revered healer and herbalist, renowned for her vast knowledge of traditional medicine.
During the 20th century, Ineza Kabatesi (1920-2002) was a pioneering educator who established several schools in rural Rwanda, dedicated to empowering young girls through education. Another notable figure was Ineza Mutangana (1935-2010), a renowned artist whose vibrant paintings and sculptures captured the beauty and resilience of Rwandan culture.
More recently, Ineza Umuhoza (born 1978) has gained recognition as a successful entrepreneur and advocate for women's economic empowerment, founding several businesses and mentorship programs in Rwanda.
While the name Ineza is deeply rooted in Rwandan tradition, its meaning and symbolism have resonated across cultures, embodying the universal values of kindness, compassion, and a commitment to creating a better world.
People
Ineza + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ineza as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ineza: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ineza?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 100 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ineza 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 3,427,543 US residents.
Is Ineza a common name?
We classify Ineza as "Very Rare". It ranks above 64.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 101 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ineza most popular?
The single biggest year for Ineza was 2024, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ineza is about 5 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 Ineza in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ineza a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ineza 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 Ineza still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ineza 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 Ineza 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 people are named Ineza?
Find out how many Americans are named Ineza on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.