Given name & surname
Sekou
“a learned man”
Sekou is used as a given name and a surname. One African interpretation is “a learned man.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One African interpretation is “a learned man.”
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 1970. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Sekou through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,118
- 1,118 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2011
- 38 babies
- 2025
- 35
- #3,368 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +1%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 35 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,368 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 0.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 38 in 2011. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,273 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.
Sekou’s family of names
In Greek usage, Sekou as a surname is a transliteration of Σέκου.
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Sekou
- Sékou KoïtaMalian association football playerborn 1999
- Sekou CisséIvorian footballerborn 1985
- Sekou OlisehLiberian footballerborn 1990
- Sékou MaraFrench association football playerborn 2002
- Sekou DoumbouyaGuinean-French basketball player (born 2000)
- Sékou SanogoIvorian footballerborn 1989
- Sékou TouréIvorian footballer (1934-2003)
- Sekou YansanéGuinean and French footballerborn 2003
- Sekou SyllaGuinean and Dutch football playerborn 1999
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Sekou, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Sekai
“one who brings laughter and great joy” · “one who laughs often”
90% boys · 10% girls
Essien
“a child of the people” · “the sixth-born son”
>99% boys
Abu
“a father”
>99% boys
Dakarai
“filled with happiness”
>99% boys
Kofi
“born on a Friday”
99% boys · 1% girls
Simba
“resembling a lion”
>99% boys
Jayvyn
“having a light spirit”
>99% boys
Naki
“the firstborn daughter”
92% boys · 8% girls