Find out how popular the first name Kenyetta has been for the last 37 years (from 1974 to 2010) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Kenyetta by gender

Based on the last 37 years of data, Kenyetta is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 96% of people named Kenyetta being female.

For the most recent data in 2010, there were 7 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Kenyetta.

The history of the first name Kenyetta

The name Kenyetta is a variant spelling of the Kenyan name Kenji or Kenjetta. It is derived from the Kikuyu language spoken by the Bantu people of Kenya in East Africa. The name likely originated in the late 19th or early 20th century as European colonizers and Christian missionaries began recording and transcribing African names using the Latin alphabet.

The root word "keny" or "kenj" in Kikuyu means "born" or "birthed". It is often used as a prefix in names to signify the circumstances or location of a child's birth. The suffix "-etta" is a diminutive form, implying a small or endearing quality. So the name Kenyetta could be interpreted as "little one who is born" or "beloved newborn".

There are no known historical references to the name Kenyetta in ancient texts or religious scriptures. However, its Kikuyu roots suggest it has been used informally by the Kikuyu people for generations before being transcribed and adopted more widely.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kenyetta is Kenyetta Kingsley, an African-American civil rights activist born in 1919 in Alabama, USA. She was a prominent leader in the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and participated in Freedom Rides to protest segregation in the American South.

Other notable individuals named Kenyetta throughout history include:

Kenyetta Tyre (born 1978), an American former professional basketball player in the WNBA. Kenyetta Williams (born 1972), an American former track and field athlete who competed in the heptathlon. Kenyetta Black (born 1984), an American former professional basketball player in the WNBA. Kenyetta Jefferies (born 1981), a former professional tennis player from the Bahamas.

While the name Kenyetta is not extremely common, it has been used across various cultures and ethnicities, particularly in the United States, likely influenced by the Kenyan roots and the African-American civil rights movement.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kenyetta was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kenyetta, please contact us.

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