Fun Facts About the Name Ndeye
- 513 babies named Ndeye: U.S. records list 513 babies given the name Ndeye from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ndeye Mean?
Ndeye is a female given name from Wolof, the language of the Wolof people of Senegal, and its exact meaning is not firmly settled. The explanation most often given links it to the Wolof word ndey, "mother," used as a term of respect and affection, which would give the name the sense "mother." That link is plausible but not fully documented, and because the name normally appears as the first part of a compound rather than as a stand-alone word with a fixed dictionary meaning, some accounts simply treat its meaning as uncertain. The name is not Arabic in origin, even though it is frequently joined to Arabic-derived Muslim names.
Ndeye Name History & Origins
Ndeye is used mainly in Senegal, where it is given to girls as the opening element of a two-part name. The second element usually comes from a shared stock of Muslim names used across Senegalese families - Fatou (from Fatima), Awa (from Hawwa, or Eve), Mariama (from Maryam), Aissatou (from Aisha), Khady (from Khadija), and Coumba, among others. A girl may therefore be named Ndeye Fatou or Ndeye Coumba, and the full pair, or either half of it, may be used in everyday speech.
The second name is often chosen to honor a grandparent or another respected relative, and the naming is marked by a ceremony held about a week after birth, often called a turandoo in Wolof. Because Senegal was a French colony and French remains its official language, the name is generally written in French spelling, where the opening Nd stands for a prenasalized consonant of Wolof. Senegalese emigrants have carried the name to France, the United States, and other countries.
How Popular is the Name Ndeye?
Ndeye has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2003. Its best rank was #4,285 in 2003.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,049 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2024 | #5,721 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 2023 | #6,099 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2022 | #14,799 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #8,836 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #10,854 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #7,617 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2018 | #8,471 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #9,185 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2016 | #11,530 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #11,584 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #8,823 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2013 | #7,292 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #10,225 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #5,883 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2010 | #8,182 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2009 | #6,996 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2008 | #6,503 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2007 | #8,410 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #5,184 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2005 | #4,922 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2004 | #5,501 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2003 | #4,285 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2002 | #4,860 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2001 | #4,412 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2000 | #4,930 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1999 | #9,287 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #9,081 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #11,718 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #7,956 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #10,227 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #15,049 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Ndeye
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with N
Short Girl Names That Start with N
How the Name Ndeye Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a vivid imagination who can bring inspired messages to the world. You like to enjoy the pleasures of life, and when self is overcome, you can rise to the heights. You have an ability to avoid trouble - that is why you often fails to learn from experiences. You are restless, sociable people-oriented, a lover of change, and a seeker of adventure and new thrills. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Ndeye's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ndeye's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.