Meaning and history
Makeda is an Ethiopian feminine name traditionally identified with the Queen of Sheba. In the Ethiopian national epic Kebra Nagast, Makeda visits King Solomon and becomes the mother of Menelik I, legendary founder of Ethiopia’s Solomonic line. The name’s linguistic meaning is uncertain and should not be assigned speculative translations. Its cultural importance is therefore chiefly historical and religious. A notable modern bearer is Jamaican-Canadian novelist and editor Makeda Silvera.
20062006: 31 births, rank #4,576
2007: 27 births, rank #5,230
2008: 21 births, rank #6,350
2009: 26 births, rank #5,378
2010: 21 births, rank #6,182
20112011: 14 births, rank #8,196
2012: 22 births, rank #5,895
2013: 30 births, rank #4,645
2014: 25 births, rank #5,310
2015: 27 births, rank #4,981
20162016: 38 births, rank #3,923
2017: 37 births, rank #3,996
2018: 35 births, rank #4,076
2019: 33 births, rank #4,260
2020: 21 births, rank #5,667
20212021: 27 births, rank #4,833
2022: 29 births, rank #4,671
2023: 18 births, rank #6,409
2024: 21 births, rank #5,799
20252025: 15 births, rank #7,133
In 2025, 15 babies were recorded with the name Makeda, ranking #7,133 among girls.