Olajawon
A Yoruba name meaning "wealth and honor attract dignity".
Name Census estimates that about 18 living Americans carry the first name Olajawon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Olajawon today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Olajawon births was 1995 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Olajawon. 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 Olajawon. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
18
~ 1 in 19,041,908 Americans
Peak year
1995
7 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
1995 SSA rank
#7,569
Tracked since 1986
Popularity
Olajawon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Olajawon from the 1980s through to the 1990s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 13 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
Olajawon 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 Olajawon 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 Olajawon
The name Olajawon has its origins in the Yoruba language spoken by the Yoruba people of West Africa, particularly in present-day Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. It is a combination of two Yoruba words: "Ola" meaning wealth or fortune, and "jawon" meaning to attract or draw towards oneself.
The earliest recorded use of the name Olajawon dates back to the 15th century, during the height of the Oyo Empire in what is now southwestern Nigeria. It was a popular name among the Yoruba nobility and was often given to children born into families of high social standing and wealth.
In ancient Yoruba folklore and oral traditions, there are several references to individuals bearing the name Olajawon. One notable example is the story of Olajawon, a wealthy and influential trader from the city of Iwo, who is said to have amassed great riches through his business dealings and philanthropic endeavors.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have carried the name Olajawon. One of the earliest recorded was Olajawon Ajibola (c. 1450-1510), a prominent Yoruba chief and military leader during the reign of the Oyo Empire. He was renowned for his strategic prowess and leadership in several military campaigns against rival kingdoms.
Another notable figure was Olajawon Adeleye (1820-1895), a renowned Yoruba scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of Yoruba language and culture. He was also a respected teacher and mentor to many students who went on to become influential figures in their own right.
In the 20th century, Olajawon Ajose (1904-1987) was a prominent Nigerian lawyer and politician who played a key role in the country's independence movement. He served as a member of the Nigerian Legislative Council and was a vocal advocate for self-governance and the rights of the Nigerian people.
Olajawon Olayinka (1938-2002) was a renowned Nigerian artist and sculptor, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary African art. His works, which often drew inspiration from Yoruba cultural traditions and mythology, have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world.
Lastly, Olajawon Ogunbanjo (1952-present) is a celebrated Nigerian musician and composer, known for his contributions to the development of contemporary Yoruba music. He has received numerous awards and accolades for his work, and his compositions have been performed and celebrated worldwide.
People
Olajawon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Olajawon as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Olajawon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Olajawon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 18 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Olajawon 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 Olajawon a common name?
We classify Olajawon 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, 19 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Olajawon most popular?
The single biggest year for Olajawon was 1995, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Olajawon is about 36 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 Olajawon in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Olajawon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Olajawon 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 Olajawon still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Olajawon 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 Olajawon 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 are named Olajawon?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Olajawon, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.