Kwabene
A masculine name of Akan origin meaning "born on Tuesday".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Kwabene. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kwabene today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kwabene births was 1971 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kwabene. 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 Kwabene. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1971
8 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
1971 SSA rank
#3,812
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Kwabene: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kwabene 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 Kwabene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kwabene
The name Kwabene originates from the Akan language spoken in Ghana and other parts of West Africa. It is a name that has its roots in the Twi dialect and carries deep cultural significance for the Akan people.
Kwabene is derived from the word "kwa" which means "boy" or "male child" and "bene" meaning "born on." This suggests that the name was traditionally given to boys born on a specific day or during a particular time period.
Historical records indicate that the name Kwabene has been in use for several centuries among the Akan people. It is believed to have been mentioned in ancient oral traditions and stories passed down through generations, reflecting the rich storytelling heritage of the Akan culture.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kwabene can be found in the 18th century, when it was borne by Kwabene Asante (c. 1730 - 1790), a renowned Akan warrior and military strategist who played a significant role in the expansion of the Asante Empire.
Another notable figure with the name Kwabene was Kwabene Anokye (c. 1635 - 1717), a celebrated Akan priest, lawgiver, and advisor to the Asante Empire. He is credited with helping to establish the Golden Stool, a sacred symbol of the Asante nation's unity and sovereignty.
In the 19th century, Kwabene Dua (c. 1820 - 1892) was a prominent Akan chief and diplomat who played a key role in negotiating treaties and fostering relationships with European colonial powers during a period of significant change in West Africa.
The name Kwabene has also been carried by notable figures in more modern times, such as Kwabene Adjepong (1924 - 2011), a renowned Ghanaian playwright and theatre director who helped to promote and preserve Akan cultural traditions through his works.
Another notable bearer of the name was Kwabene Amponsah (1932 - 2018), a celebrated Ghanaian highlife musician and composer who contributed significantly to the development of Ghana's vibrant music scene in the 20th century.
While the name Kwabene has its origins in the Akan culture of West Africa, it has gained recognition and popularity beyond its historical roots, with individuals from various backgrounds and cultures adopting or being given this name in recognition of its cultural significance and rich heritage.
People
Kwabene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kwabene 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
Kwabene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kwabene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kwabene 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Kwabene a common name?
We classify Kwabene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kwabene most popular?
The single biggest year for Kwabene was 1971, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kwabene is about 57 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 Kwabene in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kwabene a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kwabene 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 Kwabene still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kwabene 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 Kwabene 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 Kwabene?
You can see how many people have the name Kwabene on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.