Kwame: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,962

among boys · ↑347 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Kwame · +17% vs 2024

How common

1 in 40,668

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1990

307 babies

All-time total

3,993

#2,113 all-time among boys

First recorded

1960

in Social Security records

Kwame popularity over time

3,993 babies have been named Kwame since 1960, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	109	109	11	–	#1,662
1970s	30	678	708	71	+550%	#781
1980s	–	658	658	66	-7%	#658
1990s	8	1,204	1,212	121	+84%	#583
2000s	–	578	578	58	-52%	#1,503
2010s	–	461	461	46	-20%	#2,302
2020s (to 2025)	–	267	267	45	-3%	#2,491

Where Kwame is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	41	0.02	outside top 500
2027	41	0.02	outside top 500
2028	40	0.02	outside top 500
2029	40	0.02	outside top 500
2030	40	0.02	outside top 500

The story of Kwame

Kwame is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,962 in 2025 with 42 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1960, 3,993 American babies have been named Kwame. Its peak came in 1990, when 307 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kwame stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Kwame?

The median living Kwame is about 33 years old; half are between 20 and 41. An estimated 3,800 people named Kwame are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Kwame year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–	42	#2,962
2024	–	–	36	#3,309
2023	–	–	38	#3,202
2022	–	–	51	#2,637
2021	–	–	48	#2,678
2020	–	–	52	#2,491
2019	–	–	49	#2,646
2018	–	–	40	#2,976
2017	–	–	43	#2,827
2016	–	–	51	#2,499
2015	–	–	36	#3,194
2014	–	–	39	#2,960
2013	–	–	48	#2,552
2012	–	–	52	#2,433
2011	–	–	56	#2,302
2010	–	–	47	#2,611
2009	–	–	40	#2,973
2008	–	–	65	#2,110
2007	–	–	40	#2,956
2006	–	–	47	#2,562
2005	–	–	57	#2,153
2004	–	–	62	#1,966
2003	–	–	50	#2,191
2002	–	–	84	#1,503
2001	–	–	79	#1,535
2000	–	–	54	#1,936
1995	–	–	86	#1,262
1990	8	#9,733	299	#583
1985	–	–	38	#1,658
1980	–	–	60	#1,183
1975	–	–	64	#1,035
1970	–	–	44	#1,257
1965	–	–	13	#2,322
1960	–	–	6	#3,870
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Kwame

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Kwame Nkrumah Ghanaian politician (1909–1972) Contemporary
2 Kwame Brown American basketball player (born 1982) Contemporary
3 Kwame Anthony Appiah English-American philosopher (born 1954) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Kwame, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Kwame?

The median living Kwame is about 33 years old. Half of all living Kwames are between 20 and 41 years old.

How many people named Kwame are alive today?

An estimated 3,800 people named Kwame are alive in the United States, based on 3,993 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Kwame mean?

An ancient and traditional Akan day-name meaning "born on Saturday".

How popular is the name Kwame in 2025?

Kwame ranked #2,962 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 42 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kwame?

3,993 babies have been named Kwame in the United States since 1960, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kwame most popular?

Kwame peaked in 1990, when 307 newborns received the name.

Is Kwame a boy or girl name?

Kwame is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Kwame rising or falling?

Kwame has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Will Kwame become more popular?

Kwame looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 40 boys named Kwame in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Kwame?

Well-known people named Kwame include Kwame Nkrumah (politician), Kwame Brown (basketball player), Kwame Anthony Appiah (philosopher).

Names like Kwame

Names that sound and feel close to Kwame: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Kwame with similar names → More names starting with K →