Osei
African masculine name meaning "adventurer" or "God survives".
Name Census estimates that about 227 living Americans carry the first name Osei. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Osei today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Osei births was 1981 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Osei. 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.
People living today
227
~ 1 in 1,509,931 Americans
Peak year
1981
11 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2023 SSA rank
#8,738
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Osei: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Osei from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 55 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Osei 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 Osei during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Oseis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Osei
The name Osei is of Akan origin, deriving from the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast in West Africa. It has its roots in the Twi language spoken by the Akan. The name can be traced back to the 17th century during the height of the Ashanti Empire, one of the most powerful states in the region.
Osei is believed to have evolved from the Akan word 'ɔse', which means 'priest' or 'spiritual leader'. This likely reflects the deep connection the Akan people had with their spiritual beliefs and practices, as well as the important role played by religious figures in their society.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Osei can be found in the Akan oral tradition, where it appears in stories and folktales passed down through generations. These tales often featured characters with the name Osei, highlighting its cultural significance.
In the 18th century, Osei Tutu I (c. 1695-1717) was an influential Asantehene (king) of the Ashanti Empire. He is credited with expanding the empire's territory and consolidating its power through military conquests and diplomatic alliances. His reign marked a golden age for the Ashanti people.
Another notable figure was Osei Bonsu (c. 1810-1884), a powerful chief and military leader from the Ashanti region. He played a pivotal role in the wars against the British during the latter half of the 19th century, leading the Ashanti resistance against colonial expansion.
In more recent times, Osei Kwadwo Prempeh II (1892-1970) was the 15th Asantehene of the Ashanti Confederacy. He was a vocal advocate for Ashanti sovereignty and played a significant role in the fight for Ghana's independence from British colonial rule.
Another notable figure is Osei Tutu II (1950-present), the current Asantehene and the 16th ruler of the Ashanti Kingdom. He has been instrumental in preserving Ashanti culture and traditions while also promoting development and education in the region.
Osei Agyeman Prempeh (1910-1989) was a Ghanaian politician and diplomat who served as the first Asante Omanhene (paramount chief) after Ghana's independence. He played a crucial role in the country's transition to self-governance and worked to bridge the gap between traditional authority and modern governance.
People
Osei + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Osei 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
Osei: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Osei?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 227 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Osei 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 1,509,931 US residents.
Is Osei a common name?
We classify Osei as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 233 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Osei most popular?
The single biggest year for Osei was 1981, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Osei is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Osei a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Osei 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.
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.