Mendi
An obscure given name likely derived from Euskara (Basque) terms with unknown meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 464 living Americans carry the first name Mendi. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mendi today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mendi births was 1975 (49 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mendi. 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
464
~ 1 in 738,695 Americans
Peak year
1975
49 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
1992 SSA rank
#14,707
Tracked since 1962
Popularity
Mendi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mendi 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 343 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
Mendi 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 Mendi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mendis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Texas, California, Oklahoma recorded the most babies named Mendi, while Ohio, Indiana, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mendi
The name Mendi has its origins in the Basque Country, an autonomous region straddling the border between Spain and France. The name is derived from the Basque word "mendi," which translates to "mountain." This reflects the significance of mountains in Basque culture and the region's rugged, mountainous terrain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mendi dates back to the 12th century, where it appears in Basque historical records. It was commonly used as a given name for both males and females in the Basque regions of Spain and France during this period.
In the 16th century, Mendi Sohieta, a Basque writer and historian, authored several works documenting the history and traditions of the Basque people. His writings provide valuable insights into the cultural significance of the name Mendi during that era.
Fast forward to the 19th century, and we find Mendi Mendieta, a renowned Basque painter and sculptor, who was born in 1818 and died in 1892. His works, which often depicted scenes from Basque life and landscapes, helped to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage associated with the name Mendi.
Another notable bearer of the name was Mendi Illarramendi, a Basque philosopher and writer who lived from 1865 to 1942. He wrote extensively on Basque culture, language, and identity, and his works continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars and cultural enthusiasts alike.
In more recent times, Mendi Buruz, a Basque mountaineer and explorer, made significant contributions to the study and mapping of the Pyrenees mountain range. Born in 1920 and passing away in 2005, his exploits and writings have immortalized the name Mendi in the annals of mountaineering and exploration.
Lastly, Mendi Goikoetxea, a contemporary Basque artist and sculptor, has gained international recognition for her works that draw inspiration from the Basque landscape and cultural traditions. Born in 1975, her creations often incorporate the name Mendi, paying homage to its rich heritage and symbolism.
People
Mendi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mendi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mendi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mendi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 464 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mendi 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 738,695 US residents.
Is Mendi a common name?
We classify Mendi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 514 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mendi most popular?
The single biggest year for Mendi was 1975, when 49 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mendi is about 50 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mendi a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mendi 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.