Nakeba
A feminine Japanese name meaning "she who should cry".
Name Census estimates that about 18 living Americans carry the first name Nakeba. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nakeba today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nakeba births was 1974 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nakeba. 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 Nakeba. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
18
~ 1 in 19,041,908 Americans
Peak year
1974
13 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
1976 SSA rank
#7,844
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Nakeba: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nakeba 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 Nakeba 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 | 0 | 20 | 20 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Nakeba
The name Nakeba has its origins in the Yoruba language, spoken primarily in present-day Nigeria and the surrounding regions of West Africa. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, though its exact etymology is uncertain. Some scholars suggest it may be derived from the Yoruba words "na" (to acquire) and "eba" (wealth or fortune), implying the meaning "to acquire wealth or good fortune."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nakeba can be found in the oral traditions and folklore of the Yoruba people. It is said to have been the name of a legendary figure, a brave warrior and leader who lived in the 13th century. Unfortunately, historical records from this period are scarce, making it difficult to verify the accuracy of these accounts.
In the 16th century, a prominent Yoruba chief named Nakeba is mentioned in Portuguese explorer João Afonso Aveiro's account of his travels in the region. This provides one of the earliest written records of the name's existence.
During the 18th century, a notable figure named Nakeba Adeyemi rose to prominence in the Kingdom of Oyo, one of the most powerful Yoruba states at the time. Adeyemi was a respected military leader and advisor to the Alaafin (king) of Oyo. His exploits and contributions to the kingdom's expansion and defense are documented in various historical texts from the era.
In the late 19th century, Nakeba Olowu was a renowned Yoruba sculptor and woodcarver. Her intricate and detailed works, often depicting traditional Yoruba figures and deities, are now housed in several museums and private collections around the world. Olowu's birth and death years are uncertain, but she is believed to have lived and worked during the latter half of the 19th century.
Another notable figure with the name Nakeba was Nakeba Ajayi, a Nigerian educationist and women's rights activist who lived from 1890 to 1960. Ajayi was a pioneer in promoting education for girls and women in Nigeria and was instrumental in establishing several schools and educational institutions across the country.
While the name Nakeba has its roots in the Yoruba culture, it has also been adopted and used by individuals from various other ethnic groups and cultures over time, particularly within Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. However, detailed historical records and accounts of individuals bearing this name outside of the Yoruba context are limited.
People
Nakeba + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nakeba as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nakeba: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nakeba?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 18 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nakeba 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 19,041,908 US residents.
Is Nakeba a common name?
We classify Nakeba as "Very Rare". It ranks above 38.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 20 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nakeba most popular?
The single biggest year for Nakeba was 1974, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nakeba is about 52 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 Nakeba in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nakeba a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nakeba in the SSA data are female. 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 Nakeba still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nakeba 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 Nakeba 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 have Nakeba as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.