Zuri

Zuri begins with a zip and lands soft. The Swahili adjective means "beautiful" or "good," and the name moved into English-speaking use slowly through Disney's The Lion Guard and the Jessie television series, then more decisively through Black Panther, where Forest Whitaker's character brought dignity to the name. It entered the US top 1000 in 2013 and has climbed to 277, a genuine recent arrival. Two crisp syllables, the buzzing Z, the soft final long E. Short, sharp, thoroughly modern while carrying real East African roots. A name that reads confident from the first letter — and doesn't require explanation.