Given name & surname
Kwame
“born on a Saturday”
Kwame is used as a given name and a surname. One African interpretation is “born on a Saturday.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One African interpretation is “born on a Saturday.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is African.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1960. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kwame through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,993
- 3,955 boys · 38 girls
- Most popular year
- 1990
- 307 babies
- 2025
- 42
- #2,962 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −9%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 42 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,962 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 8.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 299 in 1990. In 2025, Georgia had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,356 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kwame’s family of names
In English usage, Kwame has a conventional equivalent in the Sranan Tongo form Kwami. Kwame has a related form in Kwam. Kwame has a related form in Kwamee.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Kwame
- Kwame NkrumahGhanaian politician (1909–1972)
- Kwame Anthony AppiahGhanian-British-American philosopher and writerborn 1954
- Kwame BrownAmerican basketball player (born 1982)
- Kwame AyewGhanaian footballerborn 1973
- Kwame KilpatrickAmerican politician and football playerborn 1970
- Kwame Nkrumah-AcheampongGhanaian alpine skierborn 1974
- Kwame KarikariGhanaian footballerborn 1992
- Kwame Akoto-BamfoGhanaian sculptorborn 1983
- Kwame Twumasi AmpofoGhanaian politicianborn 1954
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kwame, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kwaku
“born on a Wednesday”
>99% boys
Kamau
“a quiet warrior”
>99% boys
Kwabena
“born on a Tuesday”
>99% boys
Oladele
“one who is honored at home”
>99% boys
Akin
“a brave man; a hero”
>99% boys
Yaw
“born on a Thursday”
>99% boys
Chike
“God is powerful”
>99% boys
Aman
“a trustworthy woman”
98% boys · 2% girls