Folajimi
A Yoruba name meaning "one who is respected or honored".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Folajimi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Folajimi today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Folajimi births was 2018 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Folajimi. 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 Folajimi with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Folajimi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2018
5 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2018 SSA rank
#12,780
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Folajimi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Folajimi 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 Folajimi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Folajimi
The name Folajimi originates from the Yoruba language spoken in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. It is a combination of two Yoruba words, "Fola" meaning wealth or abundance, and "Jimi" meaning to embrace or hold. Thus, the name Folajimi can be interpreted as "one who embraces wealth" or "one who holds on to abundance."
The Yoruba people have a rich cultural heritage dating back several centuries, and their naming traditions often reflect their values, beliefs, and aspirations for their children. The name Folajimi is believed to have emerged during this period, although its exact origin is difficult to pinpoint due to the lack of written records from ancient times.
In Yoruba culture, names are not merely labels but are imbued with deep meaning and significance. They are often chosen to reflect the circumstances surrounding the child's birth, the parents' hopes and dreams, or to honor ancestors or deities. The name Folajimi reflects the desire for prosperity and abundance, which were highly valued in traditional Yoruba society.
While there are no known ancient texts or religious scriptures that directly reference the name Folajimi, it is likely that the name has been in use for several centuries among the Yoruba people. The earliest recorded examples of the name are difficult to trace, as written records were scarce in pre-colonial West Africa.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Folajimi. One such person was Folajimi Olatunji, a renowned Yoruba drummer and percussionist who was born in Nigeria in 1920 and passed away in 2004. He was instrumental in popularizing Yoruba drumming and music worldwide.
Another notable Folajimi was Folajimi Adenuga, a Nigerian entrepreneur and business magnate who founded the Globacom telecommunication company. He was born in 1953 and is considered one of Africa's wealthiest individuals.
In the realm of academia, Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole was a distinguished Nigerian professor and expert in environmental toxicology. He made significant contributions to the field and served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan from 2002 to 2007.
Folajimi Ogunjobi was a Nigerian military officer and politician who played a prominent role in the country's post-independence government. He served as the Minister of Health and later as the Minister of Labor and Productivity in the 1970s and 1980s.
Lastly, Folajimi Aboderin was a Nigerian artist and sculptor renowned for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures depicting Yoruba culture and mythology. His works are showcased in numerous galleries and museums around the world.
These individuals, and many others who have borne the name Folajimi throughout history, have contributed to various fields and have left a lasting impact on their communities and the world.
People
Folajimi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Folajimi 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
Folajimi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Folajimi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Folajimi 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Folajimi a common name?
We classify Folajimi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Folajimi most popular?
The single biggest year for Folajimi was 2018, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Folajimi is about 8 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 Folajimi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Folajimi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Folajimi 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 Folajimi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Folajimi 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 Folajimi 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 share the name Folajimi?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Folajimi, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.