Ndea
A feminine name of uncertain meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 185 living Americans carry the first name Ndea. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ndea today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ndea births was 1998 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ndea. 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
185
~ 1 in 1,852,726 Americans
Peak year
1998
36 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2007 SSA rank
#19,685
Tracked since 1992
Popularity
Ndea: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ndea from the 1990s through to the 2000s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 144 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Ndea remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ndea 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 Ndea during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ndeas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ndea
The name Ndea is of African origin, specifically from the Bantu languages spoken in various regions of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa. It is believed to have emerged as a name during the late medieval period, around the 15th or 16th century CE.
One possible origin of the name Ndea is from the Swahili word "ndea," which means "to go" or "to walk." This could suggest that the name was originally given to someone who was known for their travels or expeditions. Another theory is that it derives from the Kongo word "ndeya," meaning "to shine" or "to illuminate," potentially signifying someone with a bright or radiant personality.
While there are no definitive historical records mentioning the name Ndea in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been used across various Bantu-speaking communities in Africa for centuries. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in oral histories and genealogical records passed down through generations.
One notable figure bearing the name Ndea was Ndea Nkashama, a renowned warrior and leader of the Kongo people in the late 16th century. He is remembered for his bravery and strategic prowess in defending his people against Portuguese colonizers.
Another historical figure was Ndea Kalala, a respected female healer and herbalist from the Luba Kingdom in present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, who lived in the mid-17th century. She was renowned for her vast knowledge of medicinal plants and her contributions to traditional healing practices.
In the 19th century, Ndea Mbemba was a prominent chief and diplomat from the Teke people of the Republic of Congo. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and maintaining peaceful relations between his people and European explorers and traders.
Ndea Kanyama was a renowned artist and sculptor from the Chokwe people of Angola, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His intricate woodcarvings and masks were highly valued for their artistic and cultural significance.
Lastly, Ndea Tshisikedi was a prominent political activist and leader in the Congolese independence movement of the mid-20th century. He fought tirelessly for the liberation of the Democratic Republic of Congo from Belgian colonial rule and was instrumental in shaping the country's post-independence government.
People
Ndea + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ndea as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ndea: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ndea?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 185 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ndea 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 1,852,726 US residents.
Is Ndea a common name?
We classify Ndea as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 190 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ndea most popular?
The single biggest year for Ndea was 1998, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ndea is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
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 Ndea in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ndea a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ndea 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 Ndea still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ndea 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 Ndea 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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Ndea?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.