Zendaya
A feminine name derived from the Shona word "tendai" meaning "to give thanks".
Name Census estimates that about 3,648 living Americans carry the first name Zendaya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zendaya today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zendaya births was 2022 (430 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zendaya. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Zendaya with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Zendaya is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 8 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
3.6K
~ 1 in 93,957 Americans
Peak year
2022
430 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#942
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Zendaya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zendaya from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 2,056 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zendaya remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zendaya 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 Zendaya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zendayas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 38 states and territories. Texas, Florida, California recorded the most babies named Zendaya, while Nebraska, South Dakota, Nevada recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 77 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zendaya
The name Zendaya is a relatively modern name that appears to have originated in the late 20th century. It is believed to be derived from the Shona language spoken in Zimbabwe and parts of neighboring countries in southern Africa. In Shona, the word "zendaya" means "to give thanks" or "to be grateful."
Despite its seemingly recent origins, some sources suggest that the name may have been inspired by or connected to the word "Zendavesta," which refers to the sacred texts of the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism. However, the exact link between the two words is unclear and not well-documented.
The earliest recorded use of the name Zendaya appears to be in the late 20th century, although specific dates and instances are difficult to pinpoint. It is possible that the name was initially coined or popularized by parents seeking a unique and meaningful name for their children.
One of the earliest and most notable individuals to bear the name Zendaya is the American actress and singer Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, born in 1996. She gained widespread recognition for her starring role in the Disney Channel series "Shake It Up" and has since established a successful career in both acting and music.
Another individual with the name Zendaya is Zendaya Toscano, an American model and social media influencer born in 1993. She has gained a significant following on platforms like Instagram and has been involved in various fashion and lifestyle campaigns.
In the literary world, there is an author named Zendaya, whose full name is Zendaya Ratna Dewi. She is an Indonesian writer known for her work in the fantasy and young adult genres.
Zendaya Renee Rose is an American singer and songwriter, born in 1988. She has released several albums and singles, primarily in the genres of R&B and soul music.
Lastly, Zendaya Lola Tenerelli is a French actress and model, born in 1985. She has appeared in various French television shows and films, as well as modeling campaigns.
It is important to note that while these individuals share the first name Zendaya, their backgrounds, professions, and life stories may vary greatly. The name itself, though relatively new, has gained a notable presence across various fields and cultures in recent decades.
People
Zendaya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zendaya 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
Zendaya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zendaya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3,648 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zendaya 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 93,957 US residents.
Is Zendaya a common name?
We classify Zendaya as "Rare". It ranks above 95.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,672 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zendaya most popular?
The single biggest year for Zendaya was 2022, when 430 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zendaya is about 8 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 Zendaya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zendaya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zendaya 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 Zendaya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zendaya 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 Zendaya 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 have Zendaya as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.