Tomiwa
A Yoruba name meaning "my wealth has arrived or is complete".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Tomiwa. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tomiwa today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tomiwa births was 2005 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tomiwa. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Tomiwa with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Tomiwa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2005
5 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2005 SSA rank
#13,189
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Tomiwa: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Tomiwa 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 Tomiwa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Tomiwa
Tomiwa is a given name that originates from the Yoruba language spoken in western Nigeria. The name is a combination of two words: "Tomi" meaning "to stay" or "to remain" and "iwa" meaning "character" or "comportment." Therefore, the name Tomiwa can be interpreted as "one who stays with good character" or "one who remains with good comportment."
The Yoruba people have a rich cultural heritage that dates back to the 11th century, and their naming traditions hold significant importance. Tomiwa was likely used as a name during this period, reflecting the Yoruba values of good character and moral uprightness.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Tomiwa can be traced back to the 16th century, during the height of the Oyo Empire, a powerful Yoruba kingdom. It is believed that some notable figures from that era bore this name, although historical records are scarce.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Tomiwa was a Yoruba warrior and military commander who lived in the late 17th century. His exploits in defending the Oyo Empire against invading forces earned him recognition and respect among his people.
Another notable figure named Tomiwa was a Yoruba scholar and philosopher who lived in the 18th century. He was renowned for his teachings on ethics, morality, and the importance of maintaining a virtuous character, aligning with the meaning of his name.
In the 19th century, a Yoruba chief named Tomiwa played a significant role in the negotiations and diplomatic efforts to maintain peace between the Oyo Empire and neighboring kingdoms. His diplomatic skills and commitment to resolving conflicts peacefully earned him respect from both sides.
During the 20th century, a Yoruba artist named Tomiwa gained recognition for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures depicting traditional Yoruba cultural themes and stories. His works are now displayed in various museums and art galleries around the world.
Another notable individual named Tomiwa was a Yoruba writer and poet who lived in the mid-20th century. His works celebrated Yoruba culture, traditions, and the importance of preserving one's heritage, resonating with the essence of his name.
While the name Tomiwa has its roots in the Yoruba culture, it has also gained popularity among other ethnic groups in Nigeria and beyond. Today, individuals from diverse backgrounds may choose to name their children Tomiwa, appreciating its positive connotation and cultural significance.
People
Tomiwa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tomiwa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Tomiwa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tomiwa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tomiwa 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 Tomiwa a common name?
We classify Tomiwa 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 Tomiwa most popular?
The single biggest year for Tomiwa was 2005, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tomiwa is about 21 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 Tomiwa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tomiwa a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tomiwa 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 Tomiwa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tomiwa 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 Tomiwa 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 share the name Tomiwa?
Want to know how many people share the name Tomiwa? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.