Find out how popular the first name Kunta has been for the last 24 years (from 1977 to 2000) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Kunta by gender

Based on the last 24 years of data, Kunta is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 97% of people named Kunta being male.

For the most recent data in 2000, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Kunta.

The history of the first name Kunta

The name Kunta has its origins in the Mandinka language, spoken by the Mandinka people of West Africa, primarily in Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal. The name is believed to have emerged around the 13th century during the height of the Mali Empire.

Kunta is derived from the Mandinka word "kuntaa," which means "to be born." This suggests that the name may have been given to children to signify their birth or arrival into the world. It is also possible that the name held spiritual or cultural significance within the Mandinka community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kunta can be found in the autobiography of Kunta Kinte, a character from the novel "Roots" by Alex Haley, published in 1976. Kunta Kinte was a Mandinka warrior who was captured and sold into slavery in the 18th century.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kunta. One of the most famous was Kunta Kinteh, a Mandinka prince who lived in the 18th century and was captured and enslaved in the Americas. His story inspired Alex Haley's novel "Roots."

Another notable bearer of the name was Kunta Mbuwe, a Gambian politician and diplomat who served as the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) from 1964 to 1968.

In the realm of sports, Kunta Bediako was a Ghanaian footballer who played as a defender for several clubs in Ghana and abroad in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Kunta Nkence was a South African activist and member of the African National Congress (ANC) who fought against apartheid in the 20th century.

Lastly, Kunta Litteer was an American artist and sculptor known for his large-scale public art installations, particularly in the state of California, in the latter half of the 20th century.

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 Kunta was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!