Kumasi
A masculine name meaning "born on Saturday" of Akan origin.
Name Census estimates that about 17 living Americans carry the first name Kumasi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kumasi today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kumasi births was 1996 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kumasi. 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 Kumasi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
17
~ 1 in 20,162,020 Americans
Peak year
1996
7 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
1996 SSA rank
#7,613
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Kumasi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kumasi from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 7 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
Kumasi 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 Kumasi 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 Kumasi
The name Kumasi has its origins in the Akan language spoken by the Ashanti people of Ghana. The city of Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region, is believed to be the source of the name. The word "Kumasi" is derived from the Akan word "kum" meaning "kill" and "si" meaning "upon," which together can be interpreted as "kill and take away."
The exact origin and meaning of the name Kumasi are shrouded in mystery, but it is believed to be associated with the history and cultural traditions of the Ashanti Kingdom. The Ashanti Kingdom was a powerful and influential empire in West Africa, known for its military prowess, rich cultural heritage, and advanced system of governance.
The name Kumasi does not appear to be referenced in any ancient texts or religious scriptures, but it is deeply rooted in the oral traditions and folklore of the Ashanti people. It is possible that the name was given to individuals who displayed bravery and strength in battle or hunting expeditions, as these were highly valued traits in the Ashanti culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kumasi can be found in the 18th century, during the reign of the Ashanti King Osei Tutu. Kumasi was the name of a prominent chief and military leader who played a significant role in the expansion of the Ashanti Kingdom.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kumasi. Here are five examples:
1. Nana Kumasi Ameyaw I (c. 1830-1900), a powerful Ashanti chief and military leader who fought against British colonial rule in the late 19th century.
2. Kumasi Mensah (1920-1997), a Ghanaian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and later as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
3. Kumasi Brewoo (1935-2021), a Ghanaian sculptor and artist known for his wood carvings and contributions to the development of contemporary Ghanaian art.
4. Kumasi Barnor (born 1945), a Ghanaian writer and academic, known for his poetry and works exploring the African diaspora experience.
5. Kumasi Keji (born 1964), a Nigerian-born British actor and playwright, known for his performances in various stage productions and television shows.
While the name Kumasi is deeply rooted in the Ashanti culture, it has also gained recognition beyond Ghana and has been adopted by individuals from various backgrounds and cultures around the world.
People
Kumasi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kumasi 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
Kumasi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kumasi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 17 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kumasi 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 20,162,020 US residents.
Is Kumasi a common name?
We classify Kumasi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 37.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 18 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kumasi most popular?
The single biggest year for Kumasi was 1996, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kumasi is about 41 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 Kumasi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kumasi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kumasi 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 Kumasi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kumasi 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 Kumasi 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 Kumasi?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.