The name Zendaya means “to give thanks” in the Shona language, and its the adaptation of the name Tendai. Shona is spoken by more than 12 million people in Africa. The actress’ first name is ...

Zendaya’s father chose her name, which derives from the Shona name “Tendai”, which means “to give thanks”. Shona is a Bantu language spoken by the Shona people of Zimbabwe.

Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, born on September 1, 1996, derives her name from the Shona language, which means "give thanks." She is also known by various monikers such as Daya, Z, and Marie.

Zendaya may have got her start on the Disney Channel, but the actress has since become an A-list star — so much so, she only needs to go by one name. If you’ve been saying Zen-die-uh ...