Rashonda
Meaning of Rashonda
Rashonda is a late twentieth-century American feminine name that combines the inventive spirit of Afro-American naming traditions with etymological echoes of Arabic and Celtic sources. Phonologically rendered as /rəˈʃɑːndə/, it unfolds in three balanced syllables—beginning with the alveolar “r,” passing through the palato-alveolar “sh,” and resolving in the open “ɑː” vowel before the liquid-nasal “nda”—a sequence that lends the name a resonant, almost Latinate cadence reminiscent of Romance-language inflections. While its precise genesis is polygenetic, the name is frequently viewed as a feminine elaboration of the Arabic Rashād, meaning “rightly guided,” or as a creative variant of the Welsh-derived Rhonda; this dual lineage confers on Rashonda both the academic gravitas of “discernment” and the lyrical warmth of poetic innovation. Data from North Carolina birth records between 1979 and 1993 reveal modest but steady usage—annual occurrences from five to eleven and peak rankings near 138—underscoring its status as a distinctive yet accessible choice for parents seeking a name of measured rarity and thoughtful cultural resonance.
Pronunciation
American English
- Pronunced as ruh-SHON-duh (/rəˈʃɑːndə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
