Radame
An Italian feminine name meaning "ray of light".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Radame. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Radame today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Radame births was 1987 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Radame. 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 Radame. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1987
5 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
1987 SSA rank
#7,849
Tracked since 1987
Popularity
Radame: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Radame 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 Radame during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Radame
The name Radame has its origins in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, with roots tracing back to around 3500 BCE. It is derived from the Sumerian words "ra" meaning "to shine" and "dame" meaning "eternal." The name was initially used to refer to the eternal radiance of the sun, a significant celestial body in the polytheistic beliefs of the time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Radame can be found in cuneiform inscriptions on clay tablets from the city of Ur, dating back to approximately 2500 BCE. These ancient texts often mentioned Radame as a name bestowed upon individuals born during solar eclipses or other significant astronomical events, as it was believed to bring them good fortune and prosperity.
In the ancient Mesopotamian epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest known literary works, a character named Radame is mentioned as a wise and revered scholar who advises the protagonist on his journey. This reference highlights the name's association with knowledge and wisdom in that era.
During the reign of the Akkadian Empire, around 2350 BCE, a prominent ruler named Radame II was known for his military conquests and for expanding the empire's territories. His name was inscribed on various monuments and artifacts, further solidifying the name's historical significance.
In the later centuries, the name Radame continued to be used across various cultures and regions influenced by the Mesopotamian civilization, such as the Persian and Phoenician empires. Notable individuals bearing this name include Radame, a celebrated Persian poet from the 7th century CE, and Radame of Tyre, a Phoenician explorer who is believed to have undertaken voyages to the western Mediterranean region in the 5th century BCE.
The name Radame has also been recorded in various ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions, indicating its adoption and usage within the Egyptian civilization. One prominent figure was Radame, a high-ranking Egyptian priest who served during the reign of Ramses II in the 13th century BCE.
While the name Radame has been less common in modern times, it continues to carry a rich historical legacy, evoking associations with ancient civilizations, celestial phenomena, and the pursuit of knowledge and exploration.
People
Radame + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Radame as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Radame: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Radame?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Radame 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Radame a common name?
We classify Radame as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Radame most popular?
The single biggest year for Radame was 1987, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Radame is about 38 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 Radame in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Radame a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Radame 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 Radame still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Radame 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 Radame 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 called Radame?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.