UK boy's name
Olawale
A Yoruba name meaning "wealth has come home".
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.
Olawale is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Olawale popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 5 births.
This profile covers 30 England and Wales registrations across 8 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 30 living people in the UK are called Olawale. 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
- • Olawale ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 5 boys were registered as Olawale.
- • About 30 living people in the UK are estimated to have Olawale as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4270
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
1998
5 births
Estimated living
30
2026
Meaning
What does Olawale mean?
Olawale is a given name of Yoruba origin from southwestern Nigeria. It is a compound name derived from the words "ola" meaning wealth or fortune, and "wale" meaning to come home or to arrive. Together, the name can be interpreted to mean "wealth has come home" or "fortune has arrived."
The name's roots can be traced back to the Yoruba people, one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The Yoruba have a rich cultural heritage that dates back centuries, and their naming traditions often reflect values, beliefs, and aspirations.
Historically, the name Olawale may have been bestowed upon children as a way of celebrating the arrival of prosperity or good fortune within the family or community. It was likely used as a way to express hope and gratitude for the blessings received.
While there are no definitive records of the name's earliest usage, it is believed to have been in circulation for several centuries among the Yoruba people. Some of the earliest known individuals with the name include Olawale Akintan, a Nigerian politician and educator born in the late 19th century.
Other notable historical figures bearing the name Olawale include Olawale Awolowo (1909-1987), a Nigerian writer and political activist who played a significant role in the country's independence movement. Olawale Obanbiji (born 1947) is a Nigerian artist and sculptor known for his works depicting Yoruba culture and traditions.
In the realm of sports, Olawale Olufunwa (born 1947) was a Nigerian sprinter who represented his country at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics. Olawale Bamgboye (born 1960) is a Nigerian-American actor and director who has appeared in numerous television shows and films.
While the name Olawale has its origins in the Yoruba culture of Nigeria, it has gained recognition and popularity across various parts of the world, particularly among communities with African diaspora connections.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Olawale over time
The chart below shows babies named Olawale 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 Olawale, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Olawale by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Olawale 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 | #4270 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4335 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4052 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2425 | 16 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Olawale
- Oliver 157,197
- Oscar 67,495
- Owen 33,517
- Ollie 13,193
- Oakley 9,838
- Omar 6,823
- Otis 6,395
- Oskar 4,827
- Olly 4,403
- Otto 3,839
- Osian 3,145
- Owain 2,310
FAQ
Olawale: questions and answers
How popular is the name Olawale in the UK right now?
In 2024, Olawale was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Olawale most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 5 babies registered as Olawale in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Olawale?
A Yoruba name meaning "wealth has come home".
How many people are called Olawale in the UK?
A total of 30 babies have been registered as Olawale across the 8 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.