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Zendaya

zen-DAY-a
Shona
"to give thanks"
Linda Rosenkrantz
By Linda Rosenkrantz
Updated Mon Jul 14 2025

Zendaya Origin and Meaning

The name Zendaya is a girl's name of African origin meaning "to give thanks".

Zendaya has propelled her unusual African name into the spotlight and up the popularity charts. Zendaya is one of the major baby name influencers of our era.

What does Zendaya's name mean? The name Zendaya comes from the word for thanks, Tendai, in the Shona language, spoken in Zimbabwe and southern Zambia.

The name Zendaya's popularity is directly connected to this actress-singer's rising celebrity, as it made its first appearance on the US Top 1000 in 2014. It's a distinctive choice, and thanks to our affection for the letter Z and Zendaya's great meaning, more parents are choosing it for their daughters.

The emphasis is on the middle syllable, which is pronounced like day NOT die.

# 942 in the US

Zendaya Rank in US Top 1000

# 1392 on Nameberry

Zendaya Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Popularity of the name Zendaya

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Famous People Named Zendaya

  • Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman
    American actress