Obaloluwa
"Obaloluwa" is a Yoruba name meaning "The Lord has given wealth/affluence".
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the first name Obaloluwa. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Obaloluwa today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Obaloluwa births was 2019 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Obaloluwa. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Obaloluwa with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
138
~ 1 in 2,483,727 Americans
Peak year
2019
15 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,579
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Obaloluwa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Obaloluwa from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 88 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Obaloluwa remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Obaloluwa by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Obaloluwa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Obaloluwas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Obaloluwa
Obaloluwa is a given name of Yoruba origin, originating from the Yoruba people of present-day southwestern Nigeria. The name is a combination of two Yoruba words, "oba" meaning "king" or "ruler," and "oluwa" meaning "Lord" or "God." Thus, the name Obaloluwa can be interpreted as "the Lord is the King" or "the King is the Lord."
The name's roots can be traced back to the traditional Yoruba belief system, which revolved around the worship of various deities and the concept of a supreme being, often referred to as "Olodumare" or "Olorun." The Yoruba people considered their kings or rulers to be divine representatives on earth, and the name Obaloluwa reflects this belief by equating the ruler with the supreme deity.
While the exact origin of the name is difficult to pinpoint, it is believed to have been in use among the Yoruba people for centuries, potentially dating back to the medieval period or even earlier. The name's significance lies in its connection to the rich cultural heritage and belief systems of the Yoruba people, who have played a significant role in the history and development of West Africa.
Some notable historical figures who bore the name Obaloluwa include:
1. Obaloluwa Ogunde (1914-1990), a renowned Nigerian playwright, actor, and filmmaker, known for his contributions to the Yoruba traveling theater tradition.
2. Obaloluwa Ayanlola, a prominent Yoruba scholar and writer from the late 19th century, who documented Yoruba history, culture, and traditions.
3. Obaloluwa Adebayo, a respected Yoruba chief and community leader in the early 20th century, known for his efforts in preserving Yoruba customs and promoting education.
4. Obaloluwa Ogunmola, a distinguished Yoruba artist and sculptor from the late 19th century, whose works depicted scenes from Yoruba folklore and mythology.
5. Obaloluwa Akintoye, a Yoruba historian and scholar from the mid-20th century, whose writings explored the origins and evolution of Yoruba culture and traditions.
These individuals, among others, exemplify the rich cultural heritage associated with the name Obaloluwa and its deep roots in Yoruba tradition and history.
People
Obaloluwa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Obaloluwa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Obaloluwa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Obaloluwa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 138 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Obaloluwa going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,483,727 US residents.
Is Obaloluwa a common name?
We classify Obaloluwa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 139 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Obaloluwa most popular?
The single biggest year for Obaloluwa was 2019, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Obaloluwa is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Obaloluwa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Obaloluwa a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Obaloluwa in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Obaloluwa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Obaloluwa in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Obaloluwa can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Obaloluwa?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.