Thembi
An African name meaning "hope" or "patient".
Name Census estimates that about 31 living Americans carry the first name Thembi. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Thembi today is around 53 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thembi births was 1971 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thembi. 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 Thembi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
31
~ 1 in 11,056,592 Americans
Peak year
1971
10 babies that year
Average age
53
years old
1979 SSA rank
#11,834
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Thembi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Thembi 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 Thembi 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 | 35 | 35 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Thembi
The name Thembi originates from the Nguni languages of southern Africa, particularly Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, and Swati. It is derived from the Nguni word "themba," which means "hope" or "faith." The name is believed to have been in use for centuries among these ethnic groups, reflecting their cultural values and aspirations.
In the early 19th century, the name gained wider recognition due to its association with prominent figures in the region. One of the earliest recorded examples is Thembu, the son of the renowned Xhosa chief Ngqika, who lived from around 1795 to 1829. Thembu played a significant role in the conflicts between the Xhosa and the British colonial forces during that era.
Another notable figure bearing the name was Thembi Thelizwe Mtshali, a South African writer and activist who lived from 1913 to 1989. She was a pioneering voice in the struggle against apartheid and wrote extensively about the experiences of black women in South Africa.
In the realm of politics, Thembi Nkadimeng was a prominent figure in the African National Congress (ANC) and a member of the South African Parliament from 1994 to 2009. She played a crucial role in the transition to democracy and the establishment of a non-racial society in South Africa.
Thembi Ngcobo, born in 1953, is a South African writer and academic who has contributed significantly to the literary landscape of her country. Her works explore themes of identity, gender, and the complexities of post-apartheid South Africa.
Another noteworthy individual was Thembi Nyathi, a renowned South African actress and playwright who lived from 1950 to 2003. She was widely recognized for her contributions to the theater industry and her powerful performances that tackled social and political issues.
While the name Thembi has its roots in southern Africa, it has transcended cultural boundaries and gained popularity in other parts of the world, serving as a symbol of hope and resilience.
People
Thembi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thembi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Thembi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thembi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 31 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thembi 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 11,056,592 US residents.
Is Thembi a common name?
We classify Thembi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 35 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Thembi most popular?
The single biggest year for Thembi was 1971, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thembi is about 53 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 Thembi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thembi a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thembi 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 Thembi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thembi 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 Thembi 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 people are named Thembi?
Find out how many people have the name Thembi on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.