Uwase
A feminine name of Rwandan origin meaning "the gift".
Name Census estimates that about 31 living Americans carry the first name Uwase. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Uwase today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Uwase births was 2021 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Uwase. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Uwase. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
31
~ 1 in 11,056,592 Americans
Peak year
2021
9 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,320
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Uwase: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Uwase from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 26 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
Uwase 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 Uwase 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 Uwase
Uwase is a name with its origins rooted in the Kinyarwanda language, which is predominant in Rwanda, a country located in East Africa. The name is believed to have emerged during the pre-colonial era, potentially derived from the verb "gusesa," which means "to bless" or "to make happy."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Uwase can be traced back to the late 19th century, when it was commonly used within the Tutsi and Hutu communities of Rwanda. During this period, the name held deep cultural significance, often bestowed upon children as a wish for them to bring joy and prosperity to their families.
One of the earliest notable figures bearing the name Uwase was Uwase Gahizi, a prominent leader and advisor to the Rwandan King Kigeri IV Rwabugiri, who reigned from 1853 to 1895. Uwase Gahizi was renowned for her wisdom and diplomatic skills, playing a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability within the kingdom.
In the realm of literature, the name Uwase found mention in the traditional oral tales and proverbs passed down through generations in Rwandan culture. These stories often depicted individuals named Uwase as embodying virtues such as kindness, generosity, and resilience, serving as role models for the community.
Throughout the 20th century, several notable figures bore the name Uwase, including Uwase Veneranda (1910-1992), a celebrated artist and sculptor renowned for her intricate wood carvings that depicted scenes from Rwandan life and culture.
Another prominent individual was Uwase Rugira (1920-2005), a respected educator and advocate for women's rights, who dedicated her life to empowering young girls through education and promoting gender equality in Rwandan society.
In more recent times, Uwase Mutabazi (1948-2018) gained recognition as a prolific author and playwright, whose works explored themes of identity, resilience, and the complexities of Rwandan society in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide.
While these are just a few examples, the name Uwase has continued to be cherished and passed down through generations, serving as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Rwanda and the enduring values it represents.
People
Uwase + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Uwase as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with U
Other first names starting with U with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Uwase: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Uwase?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 31 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Uwase 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 11,056,592 US residents.
Is Uwase a common name?
We classify Uwase as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 31 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Uwase most popular?
The single biggest year for Uwase was 2021, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Uwase is about 4 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 Uwase in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Uwase a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Uwase in the SSA data are female. 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 Uwase still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Uwase 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 Uwase 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 share the name Uwase?
Want to know how many people share the name Uwase? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.