Lamonta
A masculine name of African American origin, meaning "mountain hill".
Name Census estimates that about 219 living Americans carry the first name Lamonta. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lamonta today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lamonta births was 1994 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lamonta. 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.
People living today
219
~ 1 in 1,565,088 Americans
Peak year
1994
15 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2013 SSA rank
#13,254
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Lamonta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lamonta from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 91 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lamonta 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 Lamonta 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 Lamonta
The given name Lamonta has its origins in the Bantu languages of Central and Southern Africa. It is believed to have been derived from the word "monta," which means "to rise" or "to ascend." The name is thought to have emerged during the late 15th or early 16th century, when the Bantu-speaking peoples were expanding their territories across the region.
In its earliest recorded use, Lamonta was often spelled as "Lamante" or "Lamanti." This variation in spelling was common among many African names during that time, as written records were scarce, and names were primarily passed down through oral traditions. The name's association with the concept of rising or ascending likely symbolized the aspirations of strength, success, and upward mobility within the Bantu communities.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Lamonta was a prominent warrior and leader of the Lunda people, who lived in the present-day Democratic Republic of Congo during the late 16th century. Although his exact birth and death dates are unknown, he is believed to have played a significant role in the expansion of the Lunda Kingdom.
In the 17th century, a notable individual named Lamonta Nzinga was recorded as a respected advisor and diplomat in the Kingdom of Kongo, which spanned parts of modern-day Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Congo. Nzinga's contributions to diplomacy and negotiations with Portuguese colonizers during that period have been documented in various historical accounts.
During the 18th century, a renowned artist and sculptor from the Chokwe people of present-day Angola was known as Lamonta Muswakele. Muswakele's intricate woodcarvings and masks were highly regarded and widely traded throughout the region, and some of his works are now preserved in museums around the world.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure named Lamonta Mpungu emerged as a respected leader and healer among the Luba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mpungu was renowned for his knowledge of traditional medicine and his efforts to preserve the cultural traditions of his people during a period of intense colonial influence.
Another notable individual bearing the name Lamonta was a celebrated poet and storyteller from the Bemba people of present-day Zambia in the early 20th century. Although his exact birth and death dates are unknown, his oral poetry and tales have been passed down through generations, preserving the rich cultural heritage of his community.
People
Lamonta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lamonta as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lamonta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lamonta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 219 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lamonta 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 1,565,088 US residents.
Is Lamonta a common name?
We classify Lamonta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 226 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lamonta most popular?
The single biggest year for Lamonta was 1994, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lamonta is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lamonta a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lamonta 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.
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.