girl's name · in the US
Imani
ih-MAH-nee (English)
- Origin Swahili, Arabic
- Gender Girl (US)
- Syllables 3
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 32,017
the United States
#579
2025 births
Imani is a girl's name in the United States, also used for boys, meaning "faith" or "belief." It's a Swahili word, taken from the Arabic iman, and it's used widely in East Africa and in Black American families. It's also the seventh principle of Kwanzaa.
- Imani is a name of Swahili, Arabic origin.
- Peaked in 1998, when 1,272 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,995 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1970.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Imani Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 330 |
| 1980s | 603 |
| 1990s | 8,412 |
| 2000s | 9,113 |
| 2010s | 6,942 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,812 |
What Imani Means
Imani means faith. The Swahili word is an everyday religious term, and in African American use it stands for belief in family, community and a better future.
Where Imani Comes From
Arabic iman, faith, from the root a-m-n, passed into Swahili through centuries of trade along the East African coast. Swahili imani keeps that meaning and is used by Christians and Muslims alike. In 1966 Maulana Karenga founded Kwanzaa and chose Swahili words for its seven principles, with Imani, faith, as the last, which helped carry it into American families. The name is often given to girls in the United States, though in East Africa it's used for either sex. French and Irish records show it in smaller numbers.
Imani in Use
Kwanzaa's final day is the day of Imani. Well-known bearers include musician Imani Coppola and the scholar and author Imani Perry.
How Popular Is Imani?
In 2025, Imani was given to 553 babies in the United States, ranking #579 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Imani Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Imani
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Imani Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Imani over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Imani is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Girls' 94% girls · 6,289 babies
- England & Wales Girls' 94% girls · 645 babies
- France Both 81% girls · 560 babies
- Canada Both 89% girls · 275 babies
How to Say Imani
- English ih-MAH-nee
Imani in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Arabic
- Amani
Sibling Names for Imani
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Imani — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Imani
What does the name Imani mean?
Faith, in Swahili, from Arabic iman.
Is Imani a boy's or a girl's name?
It's mainly a girl's name in the United States, and it's used for either sex in East Africa.
What is Imani in Kwanzaa?
The seventh principle, faith.
How popular is the name Imani?
In 2025, Imani was given to 553 babies in the United States, ranking #579 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
How many syllables are in Imani?
Imani has 3 syllables.
When was Imani most popular?
Imani peaked in 1998, when 1,272 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Imani a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Imani currently ranks #579 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.