Jendayi
A girl's name of Swahili origin with 141 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Jendayi sits in the vintage zone of American naming: first recorded in 1978, peaking in 1999, with 141 total births across its history.
The open, approachable quality of its ending — ending on a vowel softens the overall impression — keeps the name compact and easy to pair with longer middle names or surnames.
Jendayi is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Jendayi is a girl's baby name of Swahili origin, meaning 'give thanks' or 'be thankful' in Swahili. It is a beautiful East African name expressing gratitude as a defining characteristic — the quality of a person who moves through the world with a thankful heart.
EtymologyShow more
Jendayi appeared in SSA records in 1978, placing it in the modern era of American naming — a period when parents increasingly began breaking from generational naming patterns, experimenting with spelling, and treating naming as a form of creative self-expression. Its Swahili roots may have been the starting point, adapted or respelled to fit contemporary American tastes.
With only 141 recorded births, Jendayi has not been widely studied in naming literature — its story belongs primarily to the families who chose it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Jendayi has 21+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1978.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7 | #12713 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 10 | #16796 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 49 | #14582 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 45 | #11209 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 17 | #10870 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 13 | #8983 | — |
The Story of Jendayi
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 1999, Jendayi is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Jendayi are most likely born between 1989 and 2009.
How rare is Jendayi?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Jendayi is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1978, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 2000s with 49 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Jendayi by the numbers
- Would fill 3 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(21 years, 1978–2020)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 7 | #12713 |
| 2019 | 5 | #16608 |
| 2017 | 5 | #16984 |
| 2009 | 5 | #18556 |
| 2008 | 5 | #18783 |
| 2007 | 5 | #18856 |
| 2006 | 9 | #11861 |
| 2003 | 9 | #10799 |
| 2002 | 9 | #10585 |
| 2001 | 7 | #12636 |
| 1999 | 11 | #8462 |
| 1997 | 5 | #14721 |
| 1995 | 5 | #14366 |
| 1993 | 9 | #9042 |
| 1992 | 7 | #10959 |
| 1991 | 8 | #9701 |
| 1988 | 5 | #12600 |
| 1987 | 6 | #10396 |
| 1984 | 6 | #9614 |
| 1979 | 8 | #7574 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jendayi a boy's or girl's name?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1978–2020