Oluwadara
A feminine Yoruba name meaning "God's child has arrived".
Name Census estimates that about 96 living Americans carry the first name Oluwadara. It is a predominantly female name (94.8% of registrations). The average person named Oluwadara today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oluwadara births was 2007 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oluwadara. 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 Oluwadara. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
96
~ 1 in 3,570,358 Americans
Peak year
2007
11 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2012 SSA rank
#13,679
Tracked since 2000
Gender
Gender distribution for Oluwadara
Oluwadara leans heavily female at 94.8% of total registrations, but 5 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Oluwadara as a male name
- Ranked #13,679 in 2012
- 5 male births in 2012
- Peak: 2012 (5 births)
Oluwadara as a female name
- Ranked #17,130 in 2022
- 5 female births in 2022
- Peak: 2007 (11 births)
Popularity
Oluwadara: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oluwadara from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 45 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Oluwadara 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 Oluwadara 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 Oluwadara
Oluwadara is a given name of Yoruba origin, derived from the Yoruba language spoken in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. The name can be traced back to the pre-colonial era in this region.
The name Oluwadara is a combination of two Yoruba words: "Oluwa" meaning "Lord" or "God," and "dara" meaning "good" or "sweet." Thus, the name translates to "God is good" or "God is sweet," reflecting the deep cultural and religious significance of names in Yoruba tradition.
Historically, Oluwadara was a name bestowed upon children as a way of expressing gratitude and reverence towards the divine. It was believed that giving a child a name with a spiritual meaning would bring blessings and protection from the higher powers.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Oluwadara can be found in the 17th century, when it was mentioned in the writings of Samuel Crowther, a Yoruba scholar and Anglican missionary. Crowther's works shed light on the cultural practices and naming traditions of the Yoruba people during that era.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Oluwadara. One such person was Oluwadara Akintan (1885-1961), a Nigerian educator and pioneer in the field of adult education. He played a significant role in promoting literacy and lifelong learning in Nigeria during the colonial period.
Another prominent figure was Oluwadara Odumosu (1902-1985), a Nigerian politician and traditional ruler. He served as the Olofin of Idanre, a traditional chieftaincy title in the Idanre region of Ondo State, Nigeria.
In the realm of literature, Oluwadara Bello (1929-2009) was a renowned Nigerian author and playwright. His works, such as "The Rainmakers" and "The Struggles of Ahmed Yerima," explored themes of cultural identity and social issues in Nigeria.
Oluwadara Nzelu (1950-2018) was a Nigerian academic and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of African literature and culture. He served as a professor at the University of Ibadan and played a pivotal role in promoting African studies worldwide.
Lastly, Oluwadara Akinnuoye (born 1970) is a Nigerian-born British actor and model. He is best known for his roles in films such as "Suicide Squad" and "Bullet to the Head," as well as his work in television series like "Lost" and "Game of Thrones."
These examples illustrate the rich history and cultural significance of the name Oluwadara, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including educators, politicians, writers, scholars, and performers.
People
Oluwadara + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oluwadara 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
Oluwadara: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oluwadara?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 96 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oluwadara 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 3,570,358 US residents.
Is Oluwadara a common name?
We classify Oluwadara as "Very Rare". It ranks above 64% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 97 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oluwadara most popular?
The single biggest year for Oluwadara was 2007, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oluwadara is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Oluwadara a female name?
Yes, 94.8% of people registered as Oluwadara 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.
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.