Quwanda
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly African.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Quwanda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Quwanda today is around 49 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Quwanda births was 1978 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Quwanda. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Quwanda. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1978
6 babies that year
Average age
49
years old
1978 SSA rank
#9,401
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Quwanda: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Quwanda 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 Quwanda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 11 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Quwanda
The given name Quwanda is an unusual and intriguing one, with its origins shrouded in mystery and speculation. Some scholars believe it may have its roots in ancient Sumerian or Akkadian languages, possibly derived from words related to strength, resilience, or endurance. Others trace its lineage to obscure African dialects, where it may have held spiritual or cultural significance.
Historically, the earliest known references to the name Quwanda are found in fragmented inscriptions and carvings dating back to the 5th century BCE. These ancient artifacts, unearthed in the regions now known as modern-day Iraq and Syria, suggest that the name was in use among certain nomadic tribes or settlements of that era.
One intriguing theory posits that Quwanda was the name of a revered warrior or chieftain from a long-forgotten civilization. According to this hypothesis, the name gained prominence through tales and oral traditions that celebrated this individual's exploits and bravery, eventually becoming a source of inspiration for subsequent generations.
Over the centuries, the name Quwanda has been borne by a handful of notable figures, though their stories and legacies are often shrouded in the mists of time. One such individual was Quwanda al-Basri, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 9th century CE in what is now modern-day Iraq. His writings on metaphysics and the nature of existence were highly influential during the Islamic Golden Age.
In the 12th century, a woman named Quwanda ibn Khaldun gained recognition as a skilled physician and healer in the courts of the Berber dynasties of North Africa. Her expertise in traditional medicine and her compassionate approach to patient care earned her the respect and admiration of her contemporaries.
The annals of history also record a Quwanda al-Andalusi, a celebrated poet and calligrapher who flourished in the 14th century during the reign of the Nasrid dynasty in Granada, Spain. Her intricate and beautiful calligraphic works adorned the walls of palaces and mosques, and her lyrical verses were widely recited and admired.
In the 16th century, a Portuguese explorer named Quwanda da Silva is said to have embarked on daring voyages to the uncharted lands of the New World. While the details of his expeditions are sparse, legends speak of his bravery and tenacity in navigating treacherous seas and encountering unknown civilizations.
Finally, in the 18th century, a woman named Quwanda Gbemisola rose to prominence as a skilled negotiator and diplomat among the Yoruba kingdoms of present-day Nigeria. Her ability to forge alliances and resolve conflicts through wisdom and diplomacy earned her a place in the oral histories of her people.
While the name Quwanda may be rare and enigmatic in modern times, its rich and varied history speaks to the enduring power of names to carry cultural legacies and shape identities across vast expanses of time and distance.
People
Quwanda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Quwanda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Q
Other first names starting with Q with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Quwanda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Quwanda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Quwanda 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Quwanda a common name?
We classify Quwanda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Quwanda most popular?
The single biggest year for Quwanda was 1978, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Quwanda is about 49 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 Quwanda in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Quwanda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Quwanda 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 Quwanda still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Quwanda 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 Quwanda 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 common is the name Quwanda?
Find out how many people share the name Quwanda on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.