Sosefo
A Tongan masculine name meaning "trusted, loyal friend".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Sosefo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Sosefo today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sosefo births was 2018 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sosefo. 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 Sosefo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2018
6 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2018 SSA rank
#11,939
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Sosefo: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Sosefo 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 Sosefo 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 Sosefo
The name Sosefo has its origins in Polynesian cultures, particularly among the Tongan people. It is believed to have emerged in the late 18th or early 19th century, derived from the Tongan words "sosofo," meaning "to follow" or "to obey," and "efo," meaning "lord" or "chief."
In traditional Tongan society, the name Sosefo carried connotations of respect, loyalty, and submission to authority. It was often given to individuals who were expected to serve in positions of leadership or service to the community, such as chiefs, nobles, or religious figures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sosefo can be found in the annals of Tonga's royal lineage. Sosefo Veingalu, born in the early 19th century, was a prominent chief and advisor to the Tu'i Tonga, the traditional ruler of the Tongan archipelago.
Another notable figure bearing the name Sosefo was Sosefo Motu'apuaka, a revered Tongan priest and scholar who lived in the late 19th century. He was renowned for his extensive knowledge of Tongan customs, traditions, and history, and his teachings played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting this cultural heritage.
In the realm of religion, Sosefo Manu'a was a prominent figure in the early 20th century. He was a respected minister and leader within the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, contributing significantly to the spread and growth of Christianity in the region.
Beyond Tonga, the name Sosefo also found its way into other Polynesian cultures, such as Samoa and Fiji. Sosefo Felise, born in the late 19th century, was a notable Samoan chief and orator, renowned for his eloquence and wisdom in matters of traditional governance and dispute resolution.
In Fiji, Sosefo Qaraniqio was a revered chief and leader of the Lau Islands in the early 20th century. He played a vital role in navigating the complex political and social dynamics of the time, advocating for the preservation of Fijian cultural traditions while also embracing modernization.
While the name Sosefo may not be as widespread today as it once was, it remains a significant part of Polynesian cultural heritage, representing values of respect, obedience, and leadership that have been deeply ingrained in these societies for generations.
People
Sosefo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sosefo as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sosefo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sosefo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sosefo 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 Sosefo a common name?
We classify Sosefo 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 Sosefo most popular?
The single biggest year for Sosefo was 2018, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sosefo is about 8 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 Sosefo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sosefo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sosefo 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 Sosefo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sosefo 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 Sosefo 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 Sosefo?
You can see how many people have the name Sosefo on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.