Imani means faith — from the Swahili, one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Imani is the seventh and final principle, celebrated on the last day. In Arabic, iman also means faith. The name bridges East African Swahili and Arabic through the same beautiful meaning. Three syllables of African faith, Kwanzaa celebration, and the most spiritually grounding name from two traditions.
Imani comes from the Swahili meaning faith. It is the seventh and final principle of Kwanzaa. In Arabic, iman also means faith. The name bridges East African and Arabic traditions through the same meaning.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Traditional Swahili; Kwanzaa established 1966.
3
Today
Imani remains a beloved choice, ranking #521 in the US. 28,649 babies have been named Imani since 1970.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Imani?
1998peak year
Imani has settled into a steady rhythm — neither rising sharply nor fading, holding a consistent place in U.S. birth records. It currently ranks around #521, with about 633 babies named Imani each year. In 1998, 1,222 babies received the name (ranked #253). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 28,649.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Imani's Life Path 9 is the humanitarian's number — faithful humanitarianism. People named Imani tend to be spiritually grounded, faithful, and gifted at being the seventh-day culmination.
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Seventh-day culmination
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Faithful grounding
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Swahili-Arabic bridge
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Kwanzaa celebration
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Spiritual completion
I9
M4
A1
N5
I9
Sum: 28 → Life path 1
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Personality of Imani
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Independent & bold
These individuals chart their own course. They lead, they don't follow.
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Ambitious drive
Quiet determination sits behind everything they do.
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Original ideas
Their minds work differently — seeing angles others walk past.
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