At a glance
- In short
- Makeba is a unique and exotic female name with origins in Ethiopia, associated with the Queen of Sheba. Pronounced muh-KEE-bah (/məˈkiːbɑː/).
- U.S. rank 2025
- Not in the 2025 data · last seen 2003 (#15,784)
- Babies in 2003
- 5 (<0.01% of girls)
- Peak
- #1,502 in 1972
- First recorded
- 1962
Meaning of Makeba
Makeba is a female name with origins in Ethiopia. It is often associated with the Ethiopian Queen of Sheba, also known as Makeda. The name Makeba has a unique and exotic sound, making it an appealing choice for parents looking for a distinctive name for their baby girl. In terms of pronunciation, Makeba is pronounced as muh-KEE-bah (/məˈkiːbɑː/). This pronunciation applies to both American English and British English. Although the name Makeba has not been very popular in recent years, it has had some occurrence in California in the past. In 1972, there were 7 newborns named Makeba in California, ranking at 1447.
How to pronounce Makeba
English
- Pronounced muh-KEE-bah /məˈkiːbɑː/
Popularity of Makeba in the U.S.
Makeba was last recorded in the U.S. in 2003, ranked #15,784 with 5 babies. It peaked at #1,502 in 1972. It first appears in the records in 1962.
- Rank among U.S. girl names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1962–2003 37 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 5 | 15,784 | ▼ 352 |
| 2002 | 5 | 15,432 | back (not recorded in 1999–2001) |
| 1998 | 7 | 11,138 | back (not recorded in 1997) |
| 1996 | 5 | 13,518 | ▼ 3,965 |
| 1995 | 8 | 9,553 | ▼ 1,431 |
| 1994 | 10 | 8,122 | ▲ 597 |
| 1993 | 9 | 8,719 | ▼ 2,405 |
| 1992 | 14 | 6,314 | ▲ 274 |
| 1991 | 13 | 6,588 | ▲ 715 |
| 1990 | 11 | 7,303 | ▲ 734 |
| 1989 | 9 | 8,037 | ▼ 1,760 |
| 1988 | 12 | 6,277 | ▼ 354 |
| 1987 | 12 | 5,923 | ▲ 4,989 |
| 1986 | 5 | 10,912 | ▼ 4,881 |
| 1985 | 11 | 6,031 | ▲ 779 |
| 1984 | 9 | 6,810 | ▼ 1,353 |
| 1983 | 12 | 5,457 | ▲ 454 |
| 1982 | 11 | 5,911 | ▼ 1,567 |
| 1981 | 17 | 4,344 | ▼ 735 |
| 1980 | 22 | 3,609 | ▲ 1,233 |
| 1979 | 14 | 4,842 | ▼ 2,270 |
| 1978 | 33 | 2,572 | ▼ 109 |
| 1977 | 35 | 2,463 | ▲ 23 |
| 1976 | 32 | 2,486 | ▼ 254 |
| 1975 | 37 | 2,232 | ▼ 60 |
| 1974 | 37 | 2,172 | ▼ 458 |
| 1973 | 52 | 1,714 | ▼ 212 |
| 1972 | 63 | 1,502 | ▲ 435 |
| 1971 | 44 | 1,937 | ▼ 133 |
| 1970 | 49 | 1,804 | ▲ 404 |
| 1969 | 33 | 2,208 | ▲ 152 |
| 1968 | 27 | 2,360 | ▲ 851 |
| 1967 | 16 | 3,211 | ▲ 1,655 |
| 1966 | 8 | 4,866 | back (not recorded in 1965) |
| 1964 | 5 | 6,767 | ▼ 175 |
| 1963 | 5 | 6,592 | ▼ 14 |
| 1962 | 5 | 6,578 | new |
Notable people named Makeba
- Makeba Alcide is a Saint Lucian track and field athlete known for setting national and regional records in hurdles, pentathlon and heptathlon.
- Makeba Parramore Wilbourn is a Duke University developmental psychologist honored for her research on how children learn.
- Makeba Riddick-Woods, known as Girl Wonder, is an American songwriter and singer from West Baltimore who signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2008.