Total births
1,042
Girls' name · since 1969
Africa
Since 1969, U.S. Social Security records show 1,042 babies named Africa, peaking in 1972. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #15693
- among girls today
- 1,042
- born since 1969
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 11%
- more common than other girls
1,042 babies have been named Africa since 1969, making it today's #15693 girls' name.
Social Security Administration records show Africa recorded 1,042 times among girls since 1969, holding rank #15693 nationally today, ahead of 11% of girls, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1969 to 2025.
- #15693 among girls today
- 1,042 born since 1969
- 1970s peak decade
- 11% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Africa is currently the #15693 girls' name in America, more common than 11% of girls - 1,042 born since 1969, peaking in the 1970s.
- #15693
- among girls today
- 1,042
- born since 1969
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 11%
- more common than other girls
Africa vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15693
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 11% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
42% of everyone ever named Africa was born in this single decade.
1972
Single peak year
76 babies were named Africa in 1972 - its busiest year on record.
How Africa compares
1,042 Top 31% higher than 69% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Africa's all-time total is 173% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Africa | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,042 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 76 | 48 | 19,840 |
Africa's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Africa's full recorded timeline at 1997, 32% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 68% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 2024, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1972 peak of 76 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Africa at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1972
Current rank
#15,693
Active since
1969
Africa popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1969–2025
- Peak year (1972)
- 76
- Annual births at peak, across 57 years of records
Africa by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Africa's strongest decade.
441 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 42% of all-time use.
Africa births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 7
1960s
7 births
- 1970s
1970s
441 births
- 1980s 115
1980s
115 births
- 1990s
1990s
193 births
- 2000s 133
2000s
133 births
- 2010s 99
2010s
99 births
- 2020s 54
2020s
54 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 441 births (42% of all-time use).
How Africa compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Africa's total volume
Africa vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Africa by state
Where Africa concentrates geographically, total births since 1969
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 36 | 3.5% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 30 | 2.9% |
| #3 | California | | 29 | 2.8% |
| #4 | South Carolina | | 11 | 1.1% |
| #5 | Texas | | 11 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Florida | | 7 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 7 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 6 | 0.6% |
Georgia share of Africa's total US births 3.5%
Even split
36 of 1,042 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Africa appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Africa? ▼
1,042 babies have been named Africa since 1969. It currently ranks #15693 among girls. The peak year was 1972 with 76 births.
When was Africa most popular? ▼
Africa was most popular in the 1970s decade with 441 total births. The single peak year was 1972.
Where is Africa most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Africa are Georgia (36 births), Illinois (30 births), California (29 births).
How long has the name Africa been used? ▼
Records for Africa go back to 1969, giving 57 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Africa? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Afreen, Afrah, Afrika, Afra, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Africa's data
- Africa's decade-level peak was the 1970s (441 total births); usage has since declined to 54 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Georgia records the most Africas (36 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Africa
Nearby Names Like Africa
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Africa
Afreen Girl
#12640 288 births
Afrah Girl
#11520 282 births
Afrika Girl
239 births
Afra Girl
#7718 226 births
Afrin Girl
#11813 53 births
Compare Africa side by side: Africa vs Afreen Africa vs Afrah Africa vs Afrika
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Africa
Shenandoah #15692
347 births · Peak 1995
Lacee #15694
2,557 births · Peak 1991
Shama #15691
451 births · Peak 1979
Manisha #15695
872 births · Peak 1994
Maryum #15690
324 births · Peak 2000
Danisha #15696
2,437 births · Peak 1994
Halena #15689
341 births · Peak 2007
Jennyfer #15697
1,809 births · Peak 2002
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1969–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Africa: #15693 Girls' Name - 1,042 Births, Peak 1972." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/africa. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Africa draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.