Aweis
A Somali name meaning "fortunate one" or "one born feet first".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Aweis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Aweis today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aweis births was 2006 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aweis. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Aweis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2006
5 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2008 SSA rank
#12,733
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Aweis: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Aweis by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Aweis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Aweis
The name Aweis is believed to have its origins in the Somali language, which is spoken primarily in the Horn of Africa region. It is derived from the Arabic root word "aws," which means "refuge" or "shelter." The name gained prominence in the 7th century during the spread of Islam in the region, as it embodied the concept of finding solace and protection under the faith.
In its earliest recorded usage, the name Aweis appeared in historical texts and poetry from the medieval Islamic Golden Age, particularly in works produced by Somali scholars and poets. One of the earliest known references can be found in the writings of the renowned 13th-century Somali philosopher and scholar, Aweis Al-Barawi, who hailed from the coastal city of Barawa.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Aweis. One of the most prominent was Aweis Al-Qurni (1004-1077), a revered Somali Islamic scholar and jurist who made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence. His works were widely studied and respected throughout the Islamic world during his lifetime.
Another notable bearer of the name was Aweis Mahmud (1856-1920), a Somali poet and warrior who played a pivotal role in the resistance against colonial occupation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His poetic works and leadership during the Dervish resistance movement have secured his place in Somali history and folklore.
In the realm of literature, Aweis Mohamed Nuur (1914-2005) was a celebrated Somali poet and playwright, renowned for his contributions to the development of modern Somali literature. His works explored themes of national identity, social commentary, and the preservation of Somali cultural heritage.
More recently, Aweis Osman Mahmud (1910-1988) was a prominent Somali politician and diplomat who served as the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Somali Republic following independence in 1960. He played a crucial role in establishing Somalia's international relations and diplomatic ties during the early years of the nation's independence.
These are just a few examples of the notable individuals who have carried the name Aweis throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields such as scholarship, literature, politics, and resistance movements. The name continues to be widely used in the Somali community, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage and a connection to the region's Islamic traditions.
People
Aweis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aweis as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Aweis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aweis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aweis going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Aweis a common name?
We classify Aweis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Aweis most popular?
The single biggest year for Aweis was 2006, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aweis is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Aweis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Aweis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Aweis in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Aweis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Aweis in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Aweis can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Aweis?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Aweis, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.