Zita rokuti "Zimbabwe" rinobva pashoko rokuti dzimba-dza-mabwe, rakashandurwa kubva mumutauro weKaranganga weShona richiti "dzimba dzematombo" (dzimba = chizhinji cheimba, "imba"; mabwe = chizhinji chebwe, "dombo"). Vanhu vanotaura chiKaranganga vanogara muGreat Zimbabwe mudunhu reMasvingovingo nhasi uno. Muongorori wezvekare Garlake anoti "Zimbabwe" inomiririra chimiro cheShona cheGreat Zimbabwe, guta rekare rakaparara kumaodzanyemba kwakadziva kumabvazuva kwenyika rine zvisaririra zvino nzvimbo yakachengetedzwa. Dzidziso mbiri dzakasiyana dzinotaura nezvekwakabva izwi rokuti "Zimbabwe" rinobva pashoko rokuti dzimba-dza-mabwe, rakashandurwa kubva mumutauro weKaranganga mutauro weShona richiti "dzimba dzematombo" (dzimba = chizhinji cheimba, "imba"; mabwe = chizhinji chebwe, "dombo").
dzimba-dza-mabwe