Roneka
A feminine name of African origin possibly meaning "flower from paradise".
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the first name Roneka. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Roneka today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Roneka births was 1981 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Roneka. 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
127
~ 1 in 2,698,853 Americans
Peak year
1981
14 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
1997 SSA rank
#15,590
Tracked since 1976
Census
Roneka in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 126 people with the first name Roneka, which placed it at #49,344 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#49,344
National first-name rank
People counted
126
126 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.0
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
91.3% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Roneka
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Roneka is Black at 91.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Roneka described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Roneka at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American91.3% · 115
- White2.4% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6% · 2
- Two or more races1.6% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Popularity
Roneka: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Roneka from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 71 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Roneka 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 Roneka 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 Roneka
The name Roneka is a unique and intriguing name with roots that stretch back to ancient cultures. Its origins can be traced to the Yoruba people of West Africa, where it is believed to have emerged as a variation of the name Ronke, meaning "to walk with grace and elegance."
In the rich tapestry of Yoruba culture, names are imbued with deep symbolism and significance, often reflecting the hopes, values, and aspirations of the parents for their child. The name Roneka encapsulates the essence of grace, poise, and dignity – qualities that were highly revered in traditional Yoruba society.
While the exact period when the name Roneka first appeared is shrouded in the mists of time, it is likely that it gained prominence during the height of the Oyo Empire, which dominated the region from the 16th to the 19th century. During this golden age of Yoruba civilization, the arts, literature, and cultural traditions flourished, and names like Roneka may have been adopted by families seeking to impart these virtues upon their children.
Throughout history, the name Roneka has been borne by a number of notable individuals, though records from ancient times are scarce. One of the earliest documented examples is Roneka Adedoyin, a revered Yoruba priestess and healer who lived in the late 17th century and was renowned for her wisdom and spiritual guidance.
In the 19th century, Roneka Abiola, a prominent Yoruba trader and businesswoman, made her mark in the bustling markets of Lagos, earning respect for her entrepreneurial acumen and sharp negotiation skills.
The 20th century saw the name Roneka gain wider recognition, particularly in the realms of literature and academia. Roneka Omosupe, a celebrated Nigerian author and poet, born in 1932, weaved intricate tales that captured the essence of Yoruba culture and traditions, earning her numerous accolades and a place in the literary canon.
In the field of education, Roneka Adeyemi, born in 1948, made significant contributions as a pioneering educator and advocate for girls' education in Nigeria, ensuring that generations of young women had access to quality education and opportunities for personal growth.
More recently, Roneka Olusola, born in 1975, has made her mark as a renowned fashion designer, infusing her collections with the vibrant colors and intricate patterns that pay homage to her Yoruba heritage, while also capturing the essence of modern style and elegance.
While the name Roneka may not be among the most common or widely recognized, it carries a rich tapestry of cultural significance, embodying the grace, dignity, and resilience of the Yoruba people. Its enduring legacy serves as a testament to the enduring power of names to connect us to our roots and celebrate the diverse tapestry of human experience.
People
Roneka + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Roneka 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
Roneka: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Roneka?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 127 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Roneka 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 2,698,853 US residents.
Is Roneka a common name?
We classify Roneka as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 134 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Roneka most popular?
The single biggest year for Roneka was 1981, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Roneka is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Roneka in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 126 people with the name Roneka, or 0.04 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #49,344 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Roneka in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Roneka?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Roneka appears almost entirely female. Of the 122 people counted with this name, 99.2% were female and only a very small share were male. The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Roneka?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Roneka is Black at 91.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Roneka most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Roneka in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (115 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Roneka in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Roneka a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Roneka 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.
Is Roneka still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Roneka 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 Roneka 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.
How many people have Roneka as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.