Zanijah is an uncommon yet captivating first name of African origin, derived from the Swahili word 'zania', meaning 'to be patient'. It's a unisex name, though it's more often used for females. Zanijah was popularized in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s but has since become less common. In recent years, there's been a renewed interest in this unique name, perhaps due to its distinctive sound and cultural significance.
Zanijah has had a steady increase in popularity from 2006 to 2008, with the number of births more than doubling during that period. However, there was a decrease in 2009 and 2011, returning roughly to the level seen in 2006. Overall, there have been a total of 28 babies named Zanijah born between 2006 and 2011.