Ohene
A masculine given name of Ghanaian origin meaning "king" or "ruler".
Name Census estimates that about 51 living Americans carry the first name Ohene. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ohene today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ohene births was 2023 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ohene. 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 Ohene with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ohene. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
51
~ 1 in 6,720,673 Americans
Peak year
2023
9 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,643
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Ohene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ohene from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 25 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ohene 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 Ohene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ohene
The name Ohene originates from the Akan language spoken by the Akan people of West Africa, particularly in Ghana. It is believed to have emerged around the 15th century during the rise of the powerful Ashanti Empire.
Ohene is derived from the Akan word 'Hene', which means 'king' or 'ruler'. It was a title traditionally bestowed upon the leaders and chiefs of the Akan tribes, reflecting their position of authority and respect within their communities.
In ancient Akan mythology, Ohene was also the name given to a powerful and revered deity associated with leadership, wisdom, and prosperity. This divine connection likely contributed to the name's popularity among the Akan nobility and royalty.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ohene can be found in the oral histories and traditions passed down through generations of Akan storytellers and griots. These tales often featured influential Ohene figures who played pivotal roles in the cultural and political development of the Akan people.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ohene. One such figure was Ohene Agyeman (c. 1700-1770), a renowned Ashanti military leader and strategist who played a crucial role in expanding the Ashanti Empire during the 18th century.
Another prominent Ohene was Ohene Djan (1909-1986), a Ghanaian educator and sports administrator who served as the first Director of the International Olympic Committee's Solidarity Program, promoting sports development in developing nations.
In the realm of literature, Ohene Kwadwo (1921-1992) was a celebrated Ghanaian poet and playwright whose works explored themes of cultural identity, tradition, and the impact of colonialism on African societies.
Ohene Kena (c. 1450-1520) was a revered Akan priest and spiritual leader who played a significant role in the establishment of the Ashanti Kingdom and the preservation of its cultural traditions.
Lastly, Ohene Kofi Bediako (1945-2008) was a Ghanaian business magnate and philanthropist who founded the successful Bediako Group of Companies and contributed significantly to various charitable causes in his home country.
People
Ohene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ohene 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
Ohene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ohene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 51 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ohene 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 6,720,673 US residents.
Is Ohene a common name?
We classify Ohene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 54.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 51 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ohene most popular?
The single biggest year for Ohene was 2023, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ohene is about 9 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 Ohene in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ohene a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ohene 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 Ohene still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ohene 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 Ohene 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 many people have Ohene as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Ohene on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.