Biko
Biko means "add to the family" in Igbo.
Name Census estimates that about 29 living Americans carry the first name Biko. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Biko today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Biko births was 1989 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Biko. 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 Biko. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
29
~ 1 in 11,819,115 Americans
Peak year
1989
12 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
1989 SSA rank
#4,291
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Biko: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Biko from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 25 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
Biko 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 Biko 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 Biko
The name Biko is believed to have originated from the Igbo language spoken in southeastern Nigeria. It is thought to have derived from the Igbo word "nke biko," which means "I implore" or "I pray." This linguistic root suggests that the name may have initially been used to convey a sense of humility or supplication.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Biko can be found in the writings of Olaudah Equiano, a former slave who published his autobiography in 1789. Equiano recounts encountering an Igbo man named Biko during his travels through West Africa in the 18th century. This historical reference provides evidence of the name's usage among the Igbo people during that time period.
Perhaps the most famous person to bear the name Biko was Steve Biko (1946-1977), a prominent South African anti-apartheid activist and leader of the Black Consciousness Movement. Biko's life and tragic death at the hands of the apartheid regime brought international attention to the struggle for racial equality in South Africa.
Another notable individual with the name Biko was Biko Agozino (1920-2018), a Nigerian writer and academic who authored several works exploring the Igbo culture and language. His literary contributions helped to preserve and promote the rich heritage of the Igbo people.
In the realm of sports, Biko Adamu (born 1985) is a Nigerian professional footballer who has played for various clubs in Nigeria and abroad. His athletic achievements have brought recognition to the name Biko on the international stage.
Biko Gemade (born 1945) is a Nigerian politician who has served in various capacities, including as a member of the Nigerian Senate and as a state governor. His political career has spanned several decades and has contributed to the visibility of the name Biko in Nigeria's public sphere.
While the name Biko may not be as widely known globally as some other names, it holds significant cultural and historical importance within the Igbo community of Nigeria. Its linguistic roots and association with notable figures have embedded it in the collective consciousness of this West African ethnic group.
People
Biko + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Biko 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
Biko: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Biko?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 29 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Biko 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 11,819,115 US residents.
Is Biko a common name?
We classify Biko as "Very Rare". It ranks above 46% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 30 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Biko most popular?
The single biggest year for Biko was 1989, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Biko is about 39 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 Biko in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Biko a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Biko 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 Biko still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Biko 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 Biko 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 are named Biko?
Find out how many people share the name Biko on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.