Kamere
A masculine name of Zulu origin meaning "beautiful moon".
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Kamere. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kamere today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kamere births was 2018 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kamere. 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 Kamere. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
2018
5 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,184
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Kamere: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kamere from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kamere 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 Kamere 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 Kamere
The name Kamere is believed to have its origins in the Bantu languages of Central and Southern Africa, particularly among the Luba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The name is thought to be derived from the word "kamere," which means "little one" or "child" in the Luba language.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Kamere can be traced back to the 16th century, when it was mentioned in historical accounts of the Luba Kingdom, which was a prominent empire in the region. During this period, the name was often given to children born into the royal family or to those of high social status.
In the 19th century, the name Kamere gained wider recognition and popularity beyond the Luba people. It was adopted by other Bantu-speaking communities in Central and Southern Africa, who found the name's meaning to be endearing and fitting for newborns.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kamere. One of the earliest recorded was Kamere Ntambwe, a renowned Luba chief who ruled over a vast territory in the 17th century. He was known for his wisdom, diplomacy, and efforts to maintain peace among neighboring tribes.
Another prominent figure was Kamere Mukaleng, a Luba artist and sculptor who lived in the late 18th century. His intricate wooden carvings and masks are now housed in various museums around the world, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Luba people.
In the 20th century, Kamere Nkrumah was a Congolese politician and activist who played a pivotal role in the country's independence movement. He was a vocal advocate for human rights and worked tirelessly to end colonial rule in the region.
Kamere Mbeki, born in 1942, was a South African politician and diplomat who served as the second President of South Africa from 1999 to 2008. He was instrumental in promoting reconciliation and economic development in the post-apartheid era.
Lastly, Kamere Diop, a Senegalese writer and scholar born in 1923, made significant contributions to the study of African history, culture, and philosophy. His works, including "The Cultural Unity of Black Africa" and "Antériorité des civilisations nègres," challenged Eurocentric perspectives and celebrated the richness of African civilization.
People
Kamere + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kamere as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kamere: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kamere?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kamere 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 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Kamere a common name?
We classify Kamere as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kamere most popular?
The single biggest year for Kamere was 2018, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kamere is about 5 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 Kamere in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kamere a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kamere 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 Kamere still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kamere 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 Kamere 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 Americans are named Kamere?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Kamere at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.