Kondwani
African name meaning "sweet" or "sweetness".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Kondwani. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kondwani today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kondwani births was 1978 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kondwani. 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 Kondwani with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kondwani. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1978
6 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
1978 SSA rank
#5,463
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Kondwani: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kondwani 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 Kondwani 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 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kondwani
The name Kondwani has its origins in the Chichewa language, which is spoken primarily in Malawi and parts of neighboring countries in Southeast Africa. It dates back to the 16th century when the Chewa people were establishing their cultural identity in the region.
Kondwani is derived from the Chichewa word "kondwa," which means "to be happy" or "to rejoice." The suffix "-ni" is commonly added to Chichewa words to form personal names, indicating a person who possesses the quality described by the root word. Therefore, Kondwani can be translated as "the one who is happy" or "the joyful one."
While the name Kondwani does not appear in any ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been a part of the Chewa oral tradition for centuries. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in colonial-era documents from the late 19th and early 20th centuries when European missionaries and administrators began documenting the names of local people.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Kondwani was Kondwani Banda, a prominent chief of the Chewa people in the late 19th century. He played a significant role in negotiating with British colonial authorities and advocating for the rights of his people.
Another notable figure was Kondwani Nankhumwa, a Malawian politician and member of parliament who served in various government positions in the late 20th century, including as Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
In the field of education, Kondwani Munthali was a renowned academic and educator who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malawi from 1991 to 1997. She was instrumental in promoting higher education and advocating for women's empowerment in the country.
In the world of literature, Kondwani Fidel Matura was a Malawian novelist and playwright who gained recognition for his works exploring themes of social justice and cultural identity. His novel "The Gunny Sack" was widely acclaimed and won several literary awards.
Kondwani Chisi was a Malawian artist and sculptor whose works celebrated the cultural heritage and traditions of the Chewa people. His intricate wood carvings and sculptures are featured in museums and galleries around the world, showcasing the rich artistic traditions of Malawi.
People
Kondwani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kondwani 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
Kondwani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kondwani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kondwani 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Kondwani a common name?
We classify Kondwani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kondwani most popular?
The single biggest year for Kondwani was 1978, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kondwani is about 51 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 Kondwani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kondwani a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kondwani in the SSA data are male. 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 Kondwani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kondwani 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 Kondwani 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 share the name Kondwani?
You can see how many people share the name Kondwani on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.