Meaning & origin
How it developed
In English usage, Zendaya developed from Tendai.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2011. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zendaya through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,873
- 0 boys · 3,873 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 430 babies
- 2025
- 195
- #1,189 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +17%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 195 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,189 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 16.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (17).
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Zendaya’s family of names
In English usage, Zendaya developed from the Shona form Tendai.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Zendaya
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Zendaya, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lumi
“snow”
5% boys · 95% girls
Alaia
“one who is majestic, of high worth” · “joy”
>99% girls
Tehani
“the”
>99% girls
Makenzy
Makenzy is a masculine given name from Haitian Creole. It is used in French.
>99% girls
Zamaya
>99% girls
Zenayla
>99% girls
Anaya
“one who looks up to God”
>99% girls
Zaylee
“a heavenly woman”
>99% girls