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Bwana

bwa-NAH /ˈbwɑnə/

At a glance

In short
Bwana is a unique Swahili name for boys, meaning "strength and power."
U.S. rank 2025
Not in the 2025 data · last seen 1972 (#4,986)
Babies in 1972
5 (<0.01% of boys)
First recorded
1972 (the only year on record)

Meaning of Bwana

Bwana is a male name with origins in Swahili. This unique name has limited variations, with Bwanna being a less common alternative spelling. While not commonly used, Bwana is associated with strength and power. In terms of popularity, the name Bwana appeared on record in the United States in 1972, with only 5 occurrences and a ranking of 4987. If you're looking for a distinctive and culturally rich name for your baby boy, Bwana may be an excellent choice.

How to pronounce Bwana

Popularity of Bwana in the U.S.

Bwana appears in the records for the U.S. only in 1972, ranked #4,986 with 5 babies.

Bar chart: 5 boys named Bwana in the U.S. in 1972, ranked #4,986 among boy names.
  • Boys named Bwana (left scale)
  • Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale)
In 1972. Source: SSA. Download: PNG · SVG
Year-by-year table, 1972 1 row
YearBabiesRankvs previous year
197254,986new

Notable people named Bwana

  • Bwana Kheri was a Swahili caravan trader from Mombasa who guided missionary Johannes Rebmann into northern Tanzania in 1848.