Nyasha
A feminine name of Shona origin meaning "mercy" or "bearer of grace".
Name Census estimates that about 621 living Americans carry the first name Nyasha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nyasha today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nyasha births was 1992 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nyasha. 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
621
~ 1 in 551,939 Americans
Peak year
1992
32 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2021 SSA rank
#17,024
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Nyasha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nyasha from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 245 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
Nyasha 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 Nyasha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nyashas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, Illinois, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Nyasha, while New Jersey, Illinois, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 29 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nyasha
The name Nyasha originates from the Shona language of Zimbabwe. It is derived from the word "kunyas(h)a," which means to have mercy, be kind, or show compassion. The name likely emerged in the late 15th or early 16th century, during the establishment of the Rozwi Empire in present-day Zimbabwe.
Nyasha is a popular name among the Shona people, one of the largest ethnic groups in Zimbabwe. The name reflects the cultural values of kindness, empathy, and compassion, which are highly regarded in Shona society.
While there are no known historical records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been a part of the Shona oral tradition for centuries. The earliest recorded examples of the name date back to the late 19th century, during the colonial era in Zimbabwe.
One of the notable historical figures with the name Nyasha is Nyasha Mushekwi, a Zimbabwean professional footballer born in 1987. He has played for several clubs in Europe, including Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa and KV Oostende in Belgium.
Another person of note is Nyasha Mbawara, a Zimbabwean singer and songwriter born in 1984. She is known for her unique blend of traditional Zimbabwean music and contemporary genres, and has released several successful albums.
Nyasha Simbanegavi, born in 1965, is a Zimbabwean lawyer and human rights activist. She has been a vocal advocate for women's rights and has worked with various organizations to promote gender equality and social justice.
Nyasha Chikwinya, born in 1978, is a Zimbabwean-British politician and Member of Parliament for Vauxhall in London. She is the first black woman to represent the constituency and has been recognized for her work in promoting diversity and inclusion in British politics.
Nyasha Mushati, born in 1982, is a Zimbabwean-American entrepreneur and co-founder of the technology company Nasiri. She has been recognized for her contributions to the tech industry and her efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Nyasha throughout history, reflecting its cultural significance and enduring popularity among the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
People
Nyasha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nyasha 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
Nyasha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nyasha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 621 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nyasha 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 551,939 US residents.
Is Nyasha a common name?
We classify Nyasha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 645 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nyasha most popular?
The single biggest year for Nyasha was 1992, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nyasha is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nyasha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nyasha 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.