Jequita
Of Native American origin, signifying a sacred ancient wind.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Jequita. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jequita today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jequita births was 1953 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jequita. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Jequita. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1953
6 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1980 SSA rank
#11,024
Tracked since 1953
Popularity
Jequita: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jequita from the 1950s through to the 1980s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 6 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
Jequita 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 Jequita during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jequita
The name Jequita has its origins in the Yoruba language, spoken by the Yoruba people of West Africa, primarily in present-day Nigeria. It likely emerged during the 15th or 16th century when the Yoruba civilization was at its peak.
Jequita is derived from the Yoruba words "je" meaning "to dance" and "quita" meaning "small" or "little." The combination of these words suggests that the name may have been given to children who exhibited a lively and playful nature, perhaps known for their energetic dancing or joyful movements.
While the name Jequita does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its Yoruba roots suggest a connection to the rich cultural traditions and folklore of the Yoruba people. The name may have been inspired by stories, songs, or dances that celebrated the joy and vibrancy of childhood.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Jequita are difficult to pinpoint precisely due to the limited documentation of African names and traditions during the colonial era. However, it is likely that the name was in use among the Yoruba communities long before it gained wider recognition.
Notable individuals with the name Jequita throughout history include:
1. Jequita Navarro (c. 1925 - 2012), a Cuban singer and songwriter known for her contributions to the Son Cubano genre.
2. Jequita Pearson (born 1959), an American actress best known for her role in the television series "The Wire."
3. Jequita McDaniel (born 1985), an American professional basketball player who competed in the WNBA.
4. Jequita Haselrig (born 1978), an American track and field athlete who specialized in the long jump and triple jump.
5. Jequita Burgess (born 1992), a Bahamian sprinter who represented her country in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
These individuals, spanning different eras and disciplines, have carried the name Jequita, contributing to its recognition and cultural significance across various regions and communities.
People
Jequita + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jequita as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jequita: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jequita?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jequita 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Jequita a common name?
We classify Jequita as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jequita most popular?
The single biggest year for Jequita was 1953, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jequita is about 56 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 Jequita in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jequita a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jequita 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 Jequita still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jequita 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 Jequita 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 have Jequita as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Jequita, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.