Omeka
A Native American name meaning "camper" or "to wander".
Name Census estimates that about 97 living Americans carry the first name Omeka. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Omeka today is around 49 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Omeka births was 1976 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Omeka. 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 Omeka. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
97
~ 1 in 3,533,550 Americans
Peak year
1976
16 babies that year
Average age
49
years old
1988 SSA rank
#13,270
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Omeka: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Omeka from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 80 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Omeka remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Omeka 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 Omeka 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 Omeka
The given name Omeka has its origins in the Yoruba language spoken in West Africa, primarily in modern-day Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged during the 15th century CE, a period when the Yoruba people flourished as a major cultural and political force in the region.
Omeka is derived from the Yoruba words "omo" meaning "child" and "eka" meaning "path" or "way." The name can be interpreted as "child of the way" or "one who follows the path." This name may have been bestowed upon children to symbolize their journey through life and the importance of staying true to their principles and values.
While there are no recorded instances of Omeka appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, the name has been documented in various historical records and accounts from West Africa. One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name was Omeka Oduduwa, a prominent Yoruba ruler who lived in the late 15th century and was instrumental in the establishment of the Oyo Empire.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Omeka. In the 18th century, Omeka Adeleye was a respected Yoruba priest and spiritual leader known for his wisdom and guidance. In the 19th century, Omeka Olowu was a renowned Yoruba artist and sculptor whose works are still celebrated today.
In more recent times, Omeka Eguavoen (1923-2003) was a Nigerian playwright and author who made significant contributions to the literary world with his works exploring Yoruba culture and traditions. Another prominent figure was Omeka Anyiam (1929-2012), a Nigerian politician and diplomat who served as the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs in the 1980s.
While these are just a few examples, the name Omeka has been carried by numerous individuals throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of West Africa and beyond.
People
Omeka + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Omeka 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
Omeka: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Omeka?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 97 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Omeka 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 3,533,550 US residents.
Is Omeka a common name?
We classify Omeka as "Very Rare". It ranks above 64.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 106 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Omeka most popular?
The single biggest year for Omeka was 1976, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Omeka is about 49 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Omeka a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Omeka 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.