Fatoumatta
A feminine name of West African origin meaning "the child born on Friday".
Name Census estimates that about 52 living Americans carry the first name Fatoumatta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Fatoumatta today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fatoumatta births was 2004 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fatoumatta. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Fatoumatta with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Fatoumatta. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
52
~ 1 in 6,591,430 Americans
Peak year
2004
8 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2019 SSA rank
#14,354
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Fatoumatta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fatoumatta from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 31 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Fatoumatta remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fatoumatta 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 Fatoumatta 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 Fatoumatta
Fatoumatta is a feminine given name of West African origin, predominantly found among the Mandinka and Fula ethnic groups of the region. The name has its roots in the Mandinka language and is derived from the Arabic name "Fatima," which means "to abstain" or "to wean."
The earliest recorded use of the name Fatoumatta can be traced back to the 13th century during the Mali Empire. It was a popular name among the ruling class and nobility of the time, as it held spiritual and cultural significance within the Islamic faith that had spread across West Africa.
One of the earliest notable figures to bear the name Fatoumatta was Fatoumatta Bint Bakr (1225-1292), a renowned scholar and poet from the ancient city of Timbuktu. Her works contributed significantly to the literary and intellectual traditions of the Mali Empire.
In the 16th century, Fatoumatta Diallo (1540-1612) was a respected spiritual leader and advisor to the rulers of the Kaabu Empire, which spanned parts of modern-day Guinea-Bissau and Senegal. Her wisdom and guidance were highly valued by the local communities.
Fatoumatta Bah (1790-1867) was a prominent figure in the Fula resistance against French colonial rule in present-day Guinea. She played a crucial role in rallying the Fula people against foreign occupation and became a symbol of resistance and cultural preservation.
In the 19th century, Fatoumatta Mbacké (1825-1903) was a revered Sufi mystic and spiritual leader in Senegal. She was known for her piety, wisdom, and her teachings that emphasized compassion and tolerance.
Fatoumatta Diarra (1928-2018) was a pioneering Malian writer and activist who fought for women's rights and education in West Africa. Her works explored themes of cultural identity, gender equality, and social justice, making her a influential figure in the region's literary landscape.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Fatoumatta, a name that has deep cultural and historical roots in West Africa, reflecting the rich tapestry of traditions and values that have shaped the region over centuries.
People
Fatoumatta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fatoumatta as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Fatoumatta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fatoumatta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 52 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fatoumatta 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 6,591,430 US residents.
Is Fatoumatta a common name?
We classify Fatoumatta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 54.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 53 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fatoumatta most popular?
The single biggest year for Fatoumatta was 2004, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fatoumatta is about 18 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 Fatoumatta in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Fatoumatta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Fatoumatta in the SSA data are female. 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 Fatoumatta still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Fatoumatta 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 Fatoumatta 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 Fatoumatta as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.