UK name, mostly boys
Kofi
A masculine name of Ghanaian origin meaning "born on Friday".
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.
Kofi is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Kofi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1460, with 18 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 48 births.
This profile covers 658 England and Wales registrations across 29 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 653 living people in the UK are called Kofi. 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
- • Kofi ranked #1460 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 18 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2003, when 48 boys were registered as Kofi.
- • About 653 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kofi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.5% of Kofi registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1460
2024
Births in 2024
18
Latest year
Peak year
2003
48 births
Estimated living
653
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kofi
In England and Wales birth records, Kofi has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 99.5% of registrations are for boys and 0.5% 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.
Kofi registered for boys
- Ranked #1,460 in 2024
- 18 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2003 (48 births)
Kofi registered for girls
- Ranked #3,848 in 1998
- 3 girls registered in 1998
- Peak: 1998 (3 births)
Meaning
What does Kofi mean?
The given name Kofi originates from the Akan language spoken by the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast. It dates back several centuries and is derived from the Akan word "kɔfrɪ" which means "born on Friday."
In the traditional Akan culture, a person's name is often assigned based on the day of the week they were born. Kofi is one of the male names given to children born on Friday. The corresponding female name for Friday births is Afua.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Kofi can be found in the Akan oral traditions and folklore. It is believed to have been in use for several centuries before the arrival of European colonizers in West Africa.
Throughout history, there have been notable individuals who bore the name Kofi. One of the most famous was Kofi Annan, the Ghanaian diplomat and the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. He was born on April 8, 1938, and passed away on August 18, 2018.
Another notable Kofi was Kofi Abrefa Busia, a Ghanaian teacher, politician, and Prime Minister of Ghana from 1969 to 1972. He was born on July 11, 1913, and died on August 28, 1978.
In the world of sports, Kofi Annan Boateng was a Ghanaian professional footballer who played as a midfielder for several clubs in Europe, including Nottingham Forest and Hertha BSC. He was born on December 3, 1968, and is still alive.
Kofi Kingston, whose real name is Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah, is a Ghanaian-American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE. He was born on August 14, 1981, and has been a prominent figure in the wrestling industry for over a decade.
Kofi Abrefa Ofori-Attah was a Ghanaian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Education and Culture from 1976 to 1979. He was born on November 24, 1921, and passed away on August 2, 1992.
These examples illustrate the long-standing cultural significance and widespread use of the name Kofi among the Akan people and beyond, spanning various fields such as politics, diplomacy, sports, and entertainment.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kofi over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kofi 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 Kofi, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 18 births in 2024, compared with 48 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kofi by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kofi 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 | #2037 | 58 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1629 | 154 | 10 |
| 2000s | #740 | 329 | 10 |
| 1990s | #662 | 117 | 4 |
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kofi
-
Kofi Asare
basketball player
British basketball player (born 2006)
2006-
-
Kofi Shaw
association football player
English footballer
2006-
-
Kofi Balmer
association football player
Northern Irish footballer
2000-
-
Kofi Lockhart-Adams
association football player
British footballer (born 1992)
1992-
-
Kofi Dill
association football player
Bermudian footballer (born 1979)
1979-
-
Kofi Nyamah
association football player
English footballer (born 1975)
1975-
-
Kofi Awoonor
writer; poet; politician; diplomat; minister; professor; novelist
Ghanaian poet and author (1935-2013)
1935-2013
Related
Names similar to Kofi
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kofi: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kofi in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kofi was ranked #1460 for boys in England and Wales, with 18 births registered.
When was Kofi most popular?
The peak year on record was 2003, with 48 babies registered as Kofi in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kofi?
A masculine name of Ghanaian origin meaning "born on Friday".
How many people are called Kofi in the UK?
A total of 658 babies have been registered as Kofi across the 29 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.