Bassirou
A masculine Arabic name derived from "Basir" meaning insightful or wise.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Bassirou. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bassirou today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bassirou births was 2008 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bassirou. 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 Bassirou. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2008
5 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2010 SSA rank
#12,450
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Bassirou: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bassirou from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bassirou 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 Bassirou during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Bassirou
The name Bassirou originates from the Wolof language, spoken primarily in Senegal and the Gambia regions of West Africa. It is believed to have emerged sometime in the 15th or 16th century during the rise of the Wolof Empire.
The name Bassirou is derived from the Arabic name Bashir, which means "bearer of good news" or "bringer of glad tidings". This connection suggests that the name may have been influenced by the spread of Islam in the region during that time period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bassirou can be found in the writings of the Wolof scholar and historian, Mukhtar al-Kunti, who lived in the 16th century. His work provides valuable insights into the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Wolof people during that era.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Bassirou. In the 18th century, Bassirou Mbacke was a prominent Sufi scholar and religious leader in Senegal, known for his teachings and contributions to the spread of Islam in the region.
In the 19th century, Bassirou Senghor was a Wolof warrior and military leader who played a crucial role in the resistance against French colonization in Senegal. His bravery and leadership during this period have made him a revered figure in Wolof history.
During the 20th century, Bassirou Dieng was a renowned Senegalese writer and poet, who helped to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Wolof people through his literary works.
Another notable figure was Bassirou Gueye, a Senegalese politician and diplomat who served as the first ambassador of Senegal to the United Nations after the country gained independence in 1960.
In more recent times, Bassirou Sene has gained recognition as a talented Senegalese footballer, playing for various clubs in Europe and representing his national team in international competitions.
People
Bassirou + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bassirou as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bassirou: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bassirou?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bassirou 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 Bassirou a common name?
We classify Bassirou 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 Bassirou most popular?
The single biggest year for Bassirou was 2008, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bassirou is about 17 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 Bassirou in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bassirou a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bassirou 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 Bassirou still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bassirou 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 Bassirou 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 Bassirou?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.