Latonda
A feminine name of unknown origin, potentially relating to the French phrase "la tendre" meaning "tender" or "affectionate".
Name Census estimates that about 226 living Americans carry the first name Latonda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Latonda today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Latonda births was 1973 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Latonda. 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
226
~ 1 in 1,516,612 Americans
Peak year
1973
19 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
1990 SSA rank
#12,210
Tracked since 1962
Census
Latonda in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 224 people with the first name Latonda, which placed it at #35,741 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#35,741
National first-name rank
People counted
224
224 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
81.3% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Latonda
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Latonda is Black at 81.3%. The next largest groups are White (13.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Latonda described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Latonda at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American81.3% · 182
- White13.8% · 31
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 4
- Two or more races1.3% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 2
Popularity
Latonda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Latonda from the 1960s through to the 1990s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 127 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Latonda 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 Latonda 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 Latonda
The name Latonda is a fascinating blend of cultural influences, with origins that can be traced back to the early 19th century. Its roots lie in the languages of West Africa, particularly the Yoruba and Akan dialects spoken in present-day Nigeria and Ghana.
The name is a combination of two words – "La" and "Tonda." In the Yoruba language, "La" is a prefix meaning "to honor" or "to revere," while "Tonda" is derived from the Akan word "Tondo," which translates to "strength" or "resilience." Thus, the name Latonda can be interpreted as "honoring strength" or "revering resilience."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Latonda can be traced back to the late 1800s, when it was given to children born into the African diaspora communities in the Americas. It is believed that the name was a way for these communities to honor their African heritage and the strength of their ancestors who endured the hardships of slavery and oppression.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Latonda Smith, a prominent educator and civil rights activist born in 1872 in Mississippi. She dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for African American children in the South and was a vocal advocate for racial equality.
Another notable figure was Latonda Wilkins (1902-1988), a pioneering jazz singer and songwriter who rose to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance. Her unique vocal style and innovative compositions made her a celebrated figure in the vibrant cultural movement of the time.
In the realm of literature, Latonda Johnson (1927-2011) was a renowned author and playwright whose works explored the complexities of the African American experience. Her critically acclaimed novel, "The Gathering Storm," published in 1963, was a powerful commentary on the civil rights movement and the struggle for racial justice.
Moving into the realm of sports, Latonda Crayton (born 1978) is a former professional basketball player who enjoyed a successful career in the WNBA, playing for teams such as the Houston Comets and the Phoenix Mercury. Her tenacity and skill on the court earned her numerous accolades and championships.
Finally, Latonda Jasper (born 1985) is a contemporary artist and sculptor whose works have been featured in galleries and exhibitions worldwide. Her thought-provoking pieces often explore themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the human experience, reflecting the strength and resilience inherent in the name Latonda.
While the name Latonda may not be as widely recognized as some others, its rich history and symbolism serve as a testament to the enduring spirit of the African diaspora communities and their unwavering determination to honor their roots and celebrate their resilience in the face of adversity.
People
Latonda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Latonda 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
Latonda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Latonda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 226 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Latonda 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 1,516,612 US residents.
Is Latonda a common name?
We classify Latonda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 252 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Latonda most popular?
The single biggest year for Latonda was 1973, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Latonda is about 51 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Latonda in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 224 people with the name Latonda, or 0.07 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #35,741 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Latonda in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Latonda?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Latonda appears almost entirely female. Of the 223 people counted with this name, 99.6% were female and only a very small share were male. The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Latonda?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Latonda is Black at 81.3%. The next largest groups are White (13.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Latonda most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Latonda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.3% (182 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Latonda in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Latonda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Latonda 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.
Is Latonda still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Latonda 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 Latonda 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.
How many people are called Latonda?
Find out how many Americans are named Latonda on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.