Diop
A Wolof name meaning "heir" or "oldest born of the village."
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Diop. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Diop today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Diop births was 1993 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Diop. 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 Diop. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1993
6 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
1993 SSA rank
#7,891
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Diop: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Diop 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 Diop during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Diop
The name Diop originates from the Wolof language spoken by the Wolof people of Senegal and parts of Gambia. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Wolof word "dioppa," meaning "to inherit" or "to be born into a legacy."
In traditional Wolof culture, the name Diop held significant importance as it symbolized the continuation of a family's lineage and the passing down of ancestral traditions. It was often bestowed upon firstborn sons or those who were expected to carry on the family's legacy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Diop can be found in the writings of famous Wolof griot (oral historian) Bakhuuren Diop, who lived in the 16th century. His writings provided valuable insights into the history and customs of the Wolof people.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Diop. One of the most prominent was Cheikh Anta Diop (1923-1986), a Senegalese historian, anthropologist, and scholar known for his groundbreaking work on African history and the origins of ancient Egyptian civilization.
Another famous Diop was Birago Diop (1906-1989), a Senegalese poet and storyteller who played a crucial role in preserving and promoting the oral traditions of his people through his literary works.
In the realm of music, Youssou N'Dour (born 1959), a renowned Senegalese singer and composer, has carried the name Diop as part of his middle name, highlighting its cultural significance.
Abdoulaye Diop (1846-1922) was a Senegalese military leader and resistance fighter who played a pivotal role in the struggle against French colonial rule in West Africa.
Lastly, Abdoulaye Wade (born 1926), a former President of Senegal from 2000 to 2012, also bears the name Diop as part of his full name, reflecting the name's enduring significance in Senegalese society.
People
Diop + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Diop as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Diop: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Diop?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Diop 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Diop a common name?
We classify Diop as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Diop most popular?
The single biggest year for Diop was 1993, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Diop is about 32 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 Diop in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Diop a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Diop 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 Diop still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Diop 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 Diop 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 called Diop?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.