Kalimba
A feminine name of Bantu origin meaning "small music maker".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Kalimba. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kalimba today is around 49 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kalimba births was 1974 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kalimba. 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 Kalimba. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1974
7 babies that year
Average age
49
years old
1978 SSA rank
#9,015
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Kalimba: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kalimba 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 Kalimba during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 13 | 13 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kalimba
The given name Kalimba is believed to have its origins in the Central African region, particularly among the Bantu-speaking peoples. It is derived from the word "kalimba," which refers to a traditional musical instrument resembling a thumb piano, made of a wooden board with metal keys attached to it.
The kalimba instrument has been an integral part of various cultural practices and celebrations among many African communities for centuries. Its melodic tones and portability made it a popular choice for storytellers, musicians, and spiritual leaders.
While the name Kalimba is not commonly found in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its roots can be traced back to the rich musical traditions of Central Africa. The earliest recorded instances of individuals bearing this name are from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, coinciding with the increased documentation and preservation of African cultures during the colonial era.
One of the earliest known individuals named Kalimba was Kalimba Shambya, a renowned musician and composer from the Democratic Republic of Congo, born in the late 1800s. He was celebrated for his mastery of the kalimba instrument and his contributions to preserving traditional Congolese music.
Another notable figure was Kalimba Masekesa, a South African writer and activist born in 1932. He was known for his literary works that explored themes of African identity, colonialism, and the struggle for freedom.
In the realm of music, Kalimba Kalebwe, a Congolese singer and guitarist born in 1950, gained popularity for his fusion of traditional African rhythms with contemporary sounds.
Kalimba Mwendapole, born in 1967 in Zambia, was a celebrated dancer and choreographer who helped promote and preserve the traditional dances of his country.
Lastly, Kalimba Mulenga, a Zambian artist born in 1980, gained recognition for her vibrant paintings that depicted scenes from everyday life in Africa, often incorporating elements of the kalimba instrument as a symbolic representation of her cultural heritage.
These individuals, spanning different fields and time periods, exemplify the rich cultural significance and enduring legacy of the name Kalimba, rooted in the musical traditions and artistic expressions of Central Africa.
People
Kalimba + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kalimba as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kalimba: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kalimba?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kalimba 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Kalimba a common name?
We classify Kalimba as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kalimba most popular?
The single biggest year for Kalimba was 1974, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kalimba is about 49 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 Kalimba in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kalimba a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kalimba 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 Kalimba still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kalimba 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 Kalimba 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 called Kalimba?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Kalimba on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.