The first name Imani
A girl’s name from Swahili meaning “faith”, “belief”.
Pronounced /ɪˈmɑni/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Swahili origin
Imani means “faith”, “belief” in Swahili.
Borrowed from Swahili, from imani (“faith, belief”), from Arabic إِيمَان (ʔīmān).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 59 girls were named Imani, making it the 650th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2010, with 80 births (#505).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Imani with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Imani at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 512 girls born in the United States were named Imani, the 579th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1998, when 1,222 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Imani
4 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Imani HakimAmerican actress, born 1993
- Imani CoppolaAmerican singer and musician, born 1978
- Imani BoyetteAmerican basketball player (born 1994)
- Imani RoseAmerican pornographic actress, born 1986
Questions
- What does the name Imani mean?
- Imani means “faith”, “belief” in Swahili.
- What is the origin of the name Imani?
- Borrowed from Swahili, from imani (“faith, belief”), from Arabic إِيمَان (ʔīmān).
- How popular is the name Imani?
- In 2025, 59 girls born in England and Wales were named Imani, ranking 650th. Its peak was 2010, with 80 births.
- Is Imani a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 95% of the 29,212 US babies named Imani since 1880 were girls.
- When was Imani most popular?
- 1998 in the United States, when 1,222 babies were named Imani, its highest rank at 253rd.
- How do you pronounce Imani?
- Imani is /ɪˈmɑni/, 3 syllables.
- Is Imani also a surname?
- Yes. Imani is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.