Zavonte
A masculine name of African American origin, possibly a variant of Javonte.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Zavonte. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zavonte today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zavonte births was 2017 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zavonte. 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 Zavonte. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2017
5 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#14,226
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Zavonte: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zavonte 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 Zavonte during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zavonte
The name Zavonte has its roots in the Bantu languages of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the region now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is believed to have originated sometime in the 16th century or earlier, derived from the combination of two words: "zav" meaning "to walk" and "onte" meaning "with purpose."
In the early centuries of its use, Zavonte was primarily associated with tribes and communities that placed a strong emphasis on personal determination, resilience, and the ability to navigate life's challenges with a clear sense of direction. Historical records suggest that it was a name often bestowed upon newborn sons as a way of instilling these values from a young age.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Zavonte was a prominent tribal leader in the Kongo Kingdom, who ruled during the latter half of the 16th century. While his exact dates of birth and death are uncertain, historical accounts describe him as a formidable warrior and skilled diplomat, credited with forging alliances and maintaining peace among neighboring tribes.
Moving into the 17th century, records indicate a Zavonte who served as a trusted advisor to the King of Loango, a powerful kingdom located in present-day Republic of the Congo. This Zavonte was renowned for his wisdom and strategic counsel, playing a pivotal role in shaping the kingdom's policies and diplomatic relations.
In the 19th century, a Zavonte emerged as a prominent figure in the anti-colonial resistance movements against European colonial powers in Central Africa. Although details of his life are scarce, he is remembered as a courageous leader who rallied his people to defend their land and traditional way of life.
Another notable figure with the name Zavonte was a skilled sculptor and woodcarver from the Kuba Kingdom, located in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His intricate and symbolic works, created in the late 19th century, are still revered for their artistic and cultural significance.
In more recent times, a Zavonte from the Luba-Kasai region of the Congo gained recognition as a respected elder and keeper of traditional knowledge, working tirelessly to preserve and pass on the rich cultural heritage of his people to younger generations.
While the name Zavonte may have waned in popularity in some regions, it remains a powerful and meaningful choice, carrying the weight of a rich historical legacy and the embodiment of determination, purpose, and resilience.
People
Zavonte + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zavonte as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zavonte: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zavonte?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zavonte 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Zavonte a common name?
We classify Zavonte as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zavonte most popular?
The single biggest year for Zavonte was 2017, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zavonte is about 9 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 Zavonte in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zavonte a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zavonte in the SSA data are male. 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 Zavonte still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zavonte 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 Zavonte 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 share the name Zavonte?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Zavonte at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.