Kanye

Updated: October 11, 2021 by MomsWhoThink Staff

When you hear this baby name, you may first think of rapper Kanye West. This option has a much more historical origin, however, dating back to the name of a community in ancient Botswana. Though used in America, Kanye is more popularly used as a tribal word in Africa.

Meaning of the name Kanye:

Yoruba: next inline
Igbo: give honor, tribute
Nguni: togetherness
Ewe: disgust

Origin of the name Kanye:

The baby name Kanye comes from a place-name as it is the name of a town in Botswana. The Ngqaketse people lived in this community, speaking the Bantu language. The name has been translated to use as a word in many African cultures, however.

Symbolism of the name Kanye:

The baby name Kanye does ultimately date back to the town name that is the same in Botswana. Many tribal groups have adopted the city's name as part of their language, however, with each people group assigning it a different meaning. These meanings range from “give honor” in Igbo, to “disgust” among the Ewe people.

Style of the name Kanye:

Classical

Gender of the name Kanye:

Kanye is an urban and trendy name for boys.

Pronunciation of the name Kanye:

KAHN-yay

Number of syllables in the name Kanye:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Kanye:

Kanye feels cool, hip, and trendy. Even the sound of the baby name is rich in culture.

Alternative spellings for the name Kanye:

Kannye
Kannae
Kanae

Nicknames for the name Kanye:

Kan
Yee
Yeezy
Yeezi
Yeezie
Kannie
Kanny
Kanni

Popularity of the name Kanye:

Kanye has only been on the top 1,000 list of the Social Security Popularity Index for boys for two years. In 2004, the name was rank 486. It quickly declined to number 893 in 2005, however.