Total births
374
Boys' name · since 1972
Nkosi
Since 1972, U.S. Social Security records show 374 babies named Nkosi, peaking in 2001. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 374
- total births
- 1972–2025
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 32%
- born in that decade
Nkosi sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 374 recorded since 1972.
Nkosi has 374 recorded births among boys since 1972, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2025.
- 374 total births
- 1972–2025 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 32% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
374 boys have been named Nkosi since 1972, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2025.
- 374
- total births
- 1972–2025
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 32%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Nkosi was born in this single decade.
2001
Single peak year
39 babies were named Nkosi in 2001 - its busiest year on record.
Nkosi's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Nkosi splits its recorded history at 2001: 51% of all births land in the more recent half, 49% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 2008 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2001 peak of 39 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Nkosi at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
2001
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1972
Nkosi popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2025
- Peak year (2001)
- 39
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Nkosi popularity over time - girls
7 total births recorded since 2001 (Nkosi as girls' name)
Nkosi by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Nkosi's strongest decade.
121 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Nkosi births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 36
1970s
36 births
- 1980s 22
1980s
22 births
- 1990s
1990s
121 births
- 2000s
2000s
114 births
- 2010s
2010s
53 births
- 2020s 28
2020s
28 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 121 births (32% of all-time use).
Nkosi by state
Where Nkosi concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 21 | 5.6% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 7 | 1.9% |
New York share of Nkosi's total US births 5.6%
Even split
21 of 374 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nkosi? ▼
Nkosi has been given to 374 babies in the U.S. since 1972, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2025. 39 babies were born in 2001, its single highest year.
When was Nkosi most popular? ▼
Nkosi was most popular in the 1990s decade with 121 total births. The single peak year was 2001.
Where is Nkosi most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nkosi are New York (21 births), North Carolina (7 births).
How long has the name Nkosi been used? ▼
Records for Nkosi go back to 1972, giving 54 years of history through 2025.
What to do with Nkosi's data
- Nkosi's decade-level peak was the 1990s (121 total births); usage has since declined to 28 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Nkosis (21 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nkosi
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1972–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nkosi: Baby Name Since 1972 - 374 Births, Peak 2001." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nkosi. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Nkosi draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.