Lashawnda
A feminine name, likely derived from a combination of French and African origins.
Name Census estimates that about 2,078 living Americans carry the first name Lashawnda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lashawnda today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lashawnda births was 1978 (118 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lashawnda. 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
2.1K
~ 1 in 164,944 Americans
Peak year
1978
118 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2011 SSA rank
#18,358
Tracked since 1967
Popularity
Lashawnda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lashawnda from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 948 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lashawnda 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 Lashawnda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lashawndas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. Ohio, Michigan, Illinois recorded the most babies named Lashawnda, while Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 63 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lashawnda
The name Lashawnda has its origins in African American culture, emerging in the United States during the 20th century. It is a combination of the French name LaShawn and the English name Amanda. The name LaShawn is derived from the French phrase "la Choane," meaning "the beautiful one," which was a popular term of endearment in Louisiana Creole communities.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lashawnda dates back to the 1960s, when it gained popularity among African American families seeking unique and culturally-relevant names for their children. One of the first notable individuals with the name was Lashawnda Sparks, a renowned track and field athlete who competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games.
Another notable figure with the name Lashawnda was Lashawnda Beckwith, a professional basketball player who played in the WNBA for several teams, including the Sacramento Monarchs and the Houston Comets, in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In the realm of music, Lashawnda Haynes was a prominent singer and songwriter in the 1990s, known for her contributions to the neo-soul genre. Her album "Lashawnda" was released in 1994 and received critical acclaim.
Lashawnda Bullock was a renowned educator and community activist who dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Detroit, Michigan. She founded several successful programs and initiatives aimed at empowering youth through education and mentorship.
Lashawnda Stanley was an influential civil rights activist who played a pivotal role in the fight for desegregation and equal rights in the Southern United States during the 1960s. She participated in numerous protests and marches, including the famous Selma to Montgomery march in 1965.
While the name Lashawnda has African American roots, it has gained popularity across various cultures and communities in recent decades, embraced for its unique and melodic sound. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the African American experience and the ongoing pursuit of cultural identity and empowerment.
People
Lashawnda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lashawnda 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
Lashawnda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lashawnda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,078 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lashawnda 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 164,944 US residents.
Is Lashawnda a common name?
We classify Lashawnda as "Rare". It ranks above 93.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,227 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lashawnda most popular?
The single biggest year for Lashawnda was 1978, when 118 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lashawnda is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lashawnda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lashawnda 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.
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.