UK boy's name
Kwame
A masculine name of Akan origin meaning "born on Saturday".
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.
Kwame is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kwame popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2088, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 35 births.
This profile covers 350 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 31% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 347 living people in the UK are called Kwame. 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
- • Kwame ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 35 boys were registered as Kwame.
- • About 347 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kwame as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2088
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2006
35 births
Estimated living
347
2026
Meaning
What does Kwame mean?
The name Kwame has its origins in the Akan language spoken by the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast in West Africa. It is a masculine name derived from the Akan word "kwame," which means "born on Saturday." This suggests that the name was likely given to boys born on a Saturday according to the Akan naming tradition.
The Akan people have a long and rich cultural history dating back centuries, and their naming practices have been an integral part of their traditions. The Akan naming system is based on the day of the week a child is born, with each day having its own set of names for boys and girls.
Historical records suggest that the name Kwame has been in use among the Akan people for several centuries, although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of its use. It is possible that the name was mentioned in ancient Akan oral traditions or folklore, but written records from that time are scarce.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kwame is Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, who was born in 1909 and served as president from 1960 to 1966. He was a prominent figure in the Pan-African movement and played a crucial role in Ghana's independence from British colonial rule.
Another notable bearer of the name Kwame is Kwame Anthony Appiah, a British-Ghanaian philosopher and cultural theorist who was born in 1954. He is known for his work on race, identity, and cosmopolitanism, and has written several influential books, including "In My Father's House" and "The Ethics of Identity."
Kwame Ture, formerly known as Stokely Carmichael, was an American civil rights activist and leader of the Black Power movement. He was born in 1941 and played a significant role in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.
Kwame Kilpatrick is an American former politician who served as the Mayor of Detroit from 2002 to 2008. He was born in 1970 and was involved in a corruption scandal that ultimately led to his resignation and conviction on various charges.
Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong was a Ghanaian military officer and politician who served as the Head of State of Ghana from 1972 to 1978. He was born in 1932 and rose to power through a military coup, ruling Ghana during a period of economic and political turmoil.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kwame over time
The chart below shows babies named Kwame registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Kwame, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 35 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kwame by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kwame 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 | #2975 | 37 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2196 | 105 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1291 | 163 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1371 | 45 | 4 |
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kwame
-
Kwame Poku
association football player
Ghanan association football player
2001-
-
Kwame Boateng
association football player
association football player
1998-
-
Kwame Thomas
association football player
footballer (born 1995)
1995-
-
Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe
association football player
association football player (born 1987)
1987-
-
Kwame Steede
association football player; association football coach
British footballer (born 1980)
1980-
-
Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong
alpine skier
Ghanaian alpine skier
1974-
-
Kwame Ampadu
association football player
Irish footballer
1970-
-
Kwame Kwaten
composer; record producer; musician
British musician
1967-
Related
Names similar to Kwame
- 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
Kwame: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kwame in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kwame was ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Kwame most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 35 babies registered as Kwame in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kwame?
A masculine name of Akan origin meaning "born on Saturday".
How many people are called Kwame in the UK?
A total of 350 babies have been registered as Kwame 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.