Oluwatoba
A feminine name of Yoruba origin meaning "The Lord is enough".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Oluwatoba. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Oluwatoba today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oluwatoba births was 2017 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oluwatoba. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Oluwatoba with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Oluwatoba. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2017
6 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#11,810
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Oluwatoba: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Oluwatoba 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 Oluwatoba during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Oluwatoba
The name Oluwatoba has its origins in the Yoruba language spoken in Nigeria, West Africa. It is a compound word derived from the elements "Oluwa" meaning "Lord" or "God," and "toba" meaning "is worthy." Together, the name translates to "The Lord is worthy" or "God is worthy of praise."
The Yoruba people have a rich cultural heritage that dates back several centuries, and their naming traditions often reflect their religious beliefs and values. The name Oluwatoba is a reflection of the Yoruba's deep reverence for the divine and their belief in the supremacy of God.
While the name Oluwatoba is not explicitly mentioned in ancient Yoruba texts or religious scriptures, its meaning and significance are deeply rooted in the Yoruba cosmology and worldview. The name has been in use for centuries among the Yoruba people and has been passed down from generation to generation.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Oluwatoba can be found in the 18th century, when it was used by a prominent Yoruba chief and military leader known as Oluwatoba Adebanjo. He played a significant role in defending the Yoruba kingdom of Oyo against invading forces during the turbulent period of the Yoruba Wars.
Another notable figure in history who bore the name Oluwatoba was Oluwatoba Osuntokun, a renowned Yoruba philosopher and scholar who lived in the late 19th century. He was widely respected for his contributions to the study of Yoruba culture, language, and philosophy.
In the 20th century, Oluwatoba Akindele was a prominent Nigerian politician and statesman who served as the Minister of Finance and Economic Development in the 1960s. He played a pivotal role in shaping Nigeria's economic policies during the post-independence period.
Oluwatoba Aina, born in 1940, was a pioneering Nigerian architect and urban planner. He was instrumental in promoting sustainable urban development and was widely recognized for his contributions to the field of architecture in Nigeria and beyond.
Oluwatoba Ogunbadejo, born in 1951, is a renowned Nigerian artist and sculptor. His works have been exhibited globally and have received critical acclaim for their ability to capture the essence of Yoruba culture and traditions through his intricate sculptures and installations.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Oluwatoba, a name that reflects the deep spiritual and cultural roots of the Yoruba people and their reverence for the divine.
People
Oluwatoba + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oluwatoba 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
Oluwatoba: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oluwatoba?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oluwatoba 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Oluwatoba a common name?
We classify Oluwatoba as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oluwatoba most popular?
The single biggest year for Oluwatoba was 2017, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oluwatoba is about 9 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 Oluwatoba in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Oluwatoba a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oluwatoba 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 Oluwatoba still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Oluwatoba 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 Oluwatoba 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 common is the name Oluwatoba?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.