UK name, mostly girls
Adama
A Hebrew feminine name signifying "earth" or "ground".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Adama is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Adama popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 13 births.
This profile covers 165 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 164 living people in the UK are called Adama. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Adama ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 13 girls were registered as Adama.
- • About 164 living people in the UK are estimated to have Adama as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 84.2% of Adama registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4192
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2012
13 births
Estimated living
164
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Adama
In England and Wales birth records, Adama has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 15.8% of registrations are for boys and 84.2% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Adama registered for boys
- Ranked #4,789 in 2021
- 3 boys registered in 2021
- Peak: 2017 (7 births)
Adama registered for girls
- Ranked #4,192 in 2024
- 5 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2012 (13 births)
Meaning
What does Adama mean?
The name Adama has its origins in several ancient languages and cultures. It is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word "adamah," meaning "earth" or "soil." This connection to the earth and nature can be traced back to the biblical story of Adam, the first man created by God from the dust of the ground.
In the Akan language spoken in parts of West Africa, "Adama" is a variation of the name "Adam," which also has Hebrew roots. The name gained popularity in the region due to the influence of Christianity and Islamic traditions that reference the biblical story of Adam.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Adama can be found in the ancient Sumerian cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia, dating back to around 2500 BCE. These tablets mention an individual named "Adama-nunu," which translates to "the man from the earth."
In ancient Egyptian mythology, the name "Adama" was associated with the goddess of fertility and renewal, often depicted as a woman emerging from the earth. This connection to the regenerative powers of nature further reinforced the name's symbolic meaning.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Adama. One of the earliest recorded was Adama, a Nubian king who ruled in the 3rd century BCE in what is now modern-day Sudan. Another famous bearer of the name was Adama Diop, a Senegalese historian and anthropologist (1923-1986), known for his influential work on African history and culture.
In the realm of literature, Adama is the name of a powerful sorcerer in the epic poem "Sundiata," which chronicles the life of the legendary ruler of the Mali Empire in the 13th century CE. The name also appears in the ancient Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh, where Adama is mentioned as a wise and respected figure.
Other notable individuals named Adama include Adama Traoré (1936-2020), a prominent Malian politician and former Prime Minister, and Adama Dieng (born 1959), a Senegalese lawyer and United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.
The name Adama continues to be popular in various parts of the world, particularly in West Africa and among communities with connections to the ancient Near East and North Africa. Its enduring appeal lies in its deep-rooted symbolism and connection to the earth, fertility, and the regenerative cycles of nature.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Adama over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Adama in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Adama, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 13 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Adama by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Adama was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3329 | 34 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3423 | 62 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3146 | 58 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2547 | 11 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Adama
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Adama: questions and answers
How popular is the name Adama in the UK right now?
In 2024, Adama was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Adama most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 13 babies registered as Adama in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Adama?
A Hebrew feminine name signifying "earth" or "ground".
How many people are called Adama in the UK?
A total of 165 babies have been registered as Adama across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.