NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Oluwafemi

Masculine name of Yoruba origin meaning "God loves me".

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.

Oluwafemi is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Oluwafemi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4107, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 13 births.

This profile covers 164 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 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 31% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 163 living people in the UK are called Oluwafemi. 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

  • Oluwafemi ranked #4107 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1997, when 13 boys were registered as Oluwafemi.
  • About 163 living people in the UK are estimated to have Oluwafemi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4107

2023

Births in 2023

4

Latest year

Peak year

1997

13 births

Estimated living

163

2026

Meaning

What does Oluwafemi mean?

The name Oluwafemi is of Yoruba origin and is commonly found in southwestern Nigeria. Yoruba is a Niger-Congo language spoken by the Yoruba people of West Africa. The name is a combination of two words: "Oluwa" meaning "God" or "Lord," and "femi" meaning "loves me" or "loves my crown."

The earliest recorded use of the name Oluwafemi dates back to the late 19th century, during the colonial era in Nigeria. It gained popularity among the Yoruba people as a way to express their traditional beliefs and cultural identity.

In traditional Yoruba culture, names often carried deep spiritual and philosophical meanings. Oluwafemi was given to children with the belief that God loved and protected them. It was a way to express gratitude and seek divine blessings for the child.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Oluwafemi was Oluwafemi Akintola, born in 1910. He was a Nigerian politician and premier of the Western Region of Nigeria from 1960 to 1962.

Another notable figure was Oluwafemi Awolowo, born in 1909 and died in 1987. He was a Nigerian nationalist, writer, and statesman who played a prominent role in Nigeria's struggle for independence from British colonial rule.

In more recent history, Oluwafemi Ogunsola, born in 1953, is a Nigerian journalist and writer known for his contributions to the Nigerian literary scene.

Oluwafemi Okunade, born in 1961, is a Nigerian economist and academic who has served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, one of Nigeria's most prestigious institutions.

Oluwafemi Badejo, born in 1975, is a Nigerian-American actor and stuntman known for his roles in various Hollywood productions, including "The Incredible Hulk" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."

While the name Oluwafemi has its roots in Yoruba culture and tradition, it has gained recognition and popularity beyond Nigeria, particularly among the African diaspora communities around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Oluwafemi over time

The chart below shows babies named Oluwafemi registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Oluwafemi, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 13 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Oluwafemi
0371013199620092023

Decades

Oluwafemi by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Oluwafemi 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 #3524 15 3
2010s #3667 41 9
2000s #2266 74 10
1990s #1570 34 4

Related

Names similar to Oluwafemi

FAQ

Oluwafemi: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Oluwafemi was ranked #4107 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Oluwafemi most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 13 babies registered as Oluwafemi in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Oluwafemi?

Masculine name of Yoruba origin meaning "God loves me".

How many people are called Oluwafemi in the UK?

A total of 164 babies have been registered as Oluwafemi 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.