NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Dontai

A masculine name of African origin meaning "gift from God".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Dontai is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Dontai popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 4 births.

This profile covers 18 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1999 to 2023. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 18 living people in the UK are called Dontai. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Dontai ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1999, when 4 boys were registered as Dontai.
  • About 18 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dontai as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4991

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

1999

4 births

Estimated living

18

2026

Meaning

What does Dontai mean?

The name Dontai has its origins in the Yoruba language, which is spoken primarily in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. The name is believed to have emerged during the 16th or 17th century, when the Yoruba culture and traditions were flourishing.

Dontai is derived from the Yoruba words "don" and "tai," which together can be translated to mean "to return home" or "to come back." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who had returned from a journey or had come back to their homeland after being away for some time.

While there are no known historical references to the name Dontai in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that the name had significance within the Yoruba culture and was used in oral traditions or local records that have not been widely documented.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Dontai can be found in the records of the Yoruba diaspora in the Americas, particularly in Brazil and Cuba, where many Yoruba people were taken during the transatlantic slave trade. However, specific individuals bearing this name from that era are not well documented.

Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals with the first name Dontai, although their impact and fame have been relatively localized. One such individual was Dontai Oluwa, a Yoruba chief and leader in the 19th century who played a significant role in the resistance against British colonial rule in what is now southwestern Nigeria.

Another individual named Dontai was Dontai Balewa, a Nigerian politician and activist who advocated for the rights of the Yoruba people during the post-colonial period in the mid-20th century. His exact birth and death years are not widely known.

In more recent times, Dontai Rash was an American football player who played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) in the early 2000s. He was born in 1979 and played for teams like the Miami Dolphins and the San Francisco 49ers.

Dontai Smalls is a contemporary American artist and painter known for his vibrant and expressive works that often explore themes of identity, culture, and social issues. He was born in 1984 and continues to exhibit his artwork in galleries across the United States.

Finally, Dontai Hampton is a current American actor and model who has appeared in various television shows and films. He was born in 1992 and is best known for his role in the TV series "Atlanta."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Dontai over time

The chart below shows babies named Dontai registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Dontai, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Dontai
01234199920112023

Decades

Dontai by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dontai 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 #4991 3 1
2010s #3865 4 1
2000s #3411 7 2
1990s #2425 4 1

Related

Names similar to Dontai

FAQ

Dontai: questions and answers

How popular is the name Dontai in the UK right now?

In 2023, Dontai was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Dontai most popular?

The peak year on record was 1999, with 4 babies registered as Dontai in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Dontai?

A masculine name of African origin meaning "gift from God".

How many people are called Dontai in the UK?

A total of 18 babies have been registered as Dontai across the 5 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.