Gyasi
An Akan name meaning "saviour, wonderful walker, dependable advisor".
Name Census estimates that about 425 living Americans carry the first name Gyasi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gyasi today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gyasi births was 2000 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gyasi. 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.
People living today
425
~ 1 in 806,481 Americans
Peak year
2000
21 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2023 SSA rank
#9,201
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Gyasi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gyasi from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 121 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gyasi 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 Gyasi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gyasis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Gyasi
The name Gyasi has its origins in the Akan language, which is spoken by the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast in West Africa. It is believed to have emerged around the 15th century AD during the height of the Ashanti Empire.
Gyasi is derived from the Akan word 'gya', which means 'fire' or 'burn'. It is thought to have been given as a name to signify strength, passion, or resilience, much like the qualities of fire itself.
While the name does not appear to be directly referenced in any ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been used by various notable individuals throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Gyasi is Gyasi Braimah, a prominent Ghanaian trader and warrior who lived in the late 18th century. He played a significant role in the resistance against British colonial rule in the region.
Another notable figure was Gyasi Oppong, born in 1845, who was a highly respected chief and diplomat in the Ashanti Empire. He was instrumental in negotiating treaties and fostering relationships with neighboring kingdoms.
In more recent times, Gyasi Jeter, born in 1978, is an American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA for several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Gyasi Zardes, born in 1991, is a professional soccer player who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer (MLS) and represents the United States national team.
Lastly, Yaa Gyasi, born in 1989, is a contemporary Ghanaian-American author best known for her critically acclaimed novel "Homegoing", which explores the legacy of slavery and its impact on generations of families.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Gyasi throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence and significance within the Akan culture and beyond.
People
Gyasi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gyasi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gyasi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gyasi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 425 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gyasi 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 806,481 US residents.
Is Gyasi a common name?
We classify Gyasi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 438 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gyasi most popular?
The single biggest year for Gyasi was 2000, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gyasi is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gyasi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gyasi 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.
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.