Ikee
A feminine Japanese name meaning "pond" or "pool".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Ikee. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ikee today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ikee births was 1995 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ikee. 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 Ikee. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1995
5 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
1995 SSA rank
#9,393
Tracked since 1995
Popularity
Ikee: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ikee 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 Ikee 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 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ikee
The name Ikee originates from the Yoruba language, which is spoken primarily in southwestern Nigeria and neighboring regions. The Yoruba people have a rich cultural heritage that dates back to the 11th century AD. The name Ikee is believed to have its roots in the Yoruba word "ike," which means "power" or "strength."
In Yoruba culture, names often carry significant meaning and are carefully chosen to reflect desired qualities or characteristics for the child. The name Ikee may have been given to a child with the hope that they would grow to be strong, powerful, and resilient.
While the exact origin of the name Ikee is not well-documented, it is believed to have been in use among the Yoruba people for centuries. Historical records from the region mention individuals with similar names, suggesting that Ikee or variations of it were not uncommon.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ikee can be found in the 16th century, during the reign of the Oyo Empire, a powerful Yoruba kingdom that dominated the region. In the annals of the empire, there is mention of an Ikee, a prominent warrior and advisor to the Alaafin (the ruler of the Oyo Empire) during that time.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Ikee. In the 18th century, Ikee Oloye was a renowned Yoruba sculptor and woodcarver whose works are still celebrated today for their intricate details and cultural significance.
In the 19th century, Ikee Balogun was a notable Yoruba military leader who played a crucial role in the wars against the Fulani Empire. His strategic prowess and bravery in battle earned him a place in Yoruba history.
In the 20th century, Ikee Ajayi was a prominent Nigerian educator and author who contributed significantly to the preservation and promotion of Yoruba language and culture. His works on Yoruba literature and history are widely studied and referenced.
Another notable figure is Ikee Olusanya, a Nigerian politician and activist who fought for the rights of women and marginalized communities in the mid-20th century. Her advocacy efforts helped pave the way for greater social justice and equality in Nigeria.
While the name Ikee may not be as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people, carrying with it a sense of strength, power, and resilience.
People
Ikee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ikee as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ikee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ikee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ikee 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 Ikee a common name?
We classify Ikee 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 Ikee most popular?
The single biggest year for Ikee was 1995, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ikee is about 30 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 Ikee in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ikee a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ikee 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 Ikee still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ikee 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 Ikee 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 Ikee?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.