Imani
Swahili for faith, borrowed into that language from Arabic iman, which carries the same religious sense. It is one of the principles named in the holiday Kwanzaa.
Imani in 2025
Imani was given to 553 babies in the United States in 2025 — 41 boys and 512 girls, making it the 1,100th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 5,995 babies born.
The history of Imani
Imani reached its highest point in 1998, when 1,272 babies were given the name, ranking 487th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 481st, in 1996.
Across the 56 years of records since 1970, 29,212 babies have been named Imani. Half of them were born before 2005, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Imani by decade
| Decade | Babies named Imani | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 330 | 3,095 |
| 1980s | 603 | 2,008 |
| 1990s | 8,412 | 481 |
| 2000s | 9,113 | 573 |
| 2010s | 6,942 | 709 |
| 2020s | 3,812 | 895 |
Where Imani is heading
Imani has fallen 8% over the past decade, from 604 babies in 2015 to 553 in 2025.
Names like Imani
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Imani.