Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Awa isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1992. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Awa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 871
- 0 boys · 871 girls
- Most popular year
- 2005
- 44 babies
- 2025
- 28
- #4,777 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 28 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,777 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 2.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (9). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,469 as a first name in 2020; 389 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Awa’s family of names
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Awa
- Awa Marie Coll-SeckSenegalese politician and medical doctorborn 1951
- Awa TraoréMalian actress, filmmakerborn 1980
- Awa ThiamFeminist from Senegalborn 1950
- Awa LyFrench singer-songwriter and actressborn 1977
- Awa Sène SarrSenegalese actress
- Awa FamSpanish basketball player (born 2006)
- Awa Ly N'diayeSenegalese swimmerborn 2000
- Awa Fall DiopFrench-Senegalese handball playerborn 1991
- Awa DiopSenegalese politician (1948-2021)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Awa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.