Total births
931
Boys' name · since 1971
Kamau
Since 1971, U.S. Social Security records show 931 babies named Kamau, peaking in 1995. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7362
- among boys today
- 931
- born since 1971
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 48%
- more common than other boys
931 babies have been named Kamau since 1971, making it today's #7362 boys' name.
Kamau has 931 recorded births among boys since 1971, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7362 as of the latest data, more common than 48% of boys, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2025.
- #7362 among boys today
- 931 born since 1971
- 1990s peak decade
- 48% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kamau is currently the #7362 boys' name in America, more common than 48% of boys - 931 born since 1971, peaking in the 1990s.
- #7362
- among boys today
- 931
- born since 1971
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 48%
- more common than other boys
Kamau vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7362
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 48% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Kamau was born in this single decade.
1995
Single peak year
34 babies were named Kamau in 1995 - its busiest year on record.
How Kamau compares
931 Top 32% higher than 68% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Kamau's all-time total is 154% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kamau | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 931 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 34 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kamau's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Kamau's full recorded timeline at 1998, 45% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 55% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 2016, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1995 peak of 34 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Kamau at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1995
Current rank
#7,362
Active since
1971
Kamau popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2025
- Peak year (1995)
- 34
- Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
Kamau by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Kamau's strongest decade.
246 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Kamau births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
205 births
- 1980s
1980s
118 births
- 1990s
1990s
246 births
- 2000s
2000s
180 births
- 2010s
2010s
112 births
- 2020s 70
2020s
70 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 246 births (26% of all-time use).
How Kamau compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Kamau's total volume
Kamau vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kamau by state
Where Kamau concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 39 | 4.2% |
| #2 | California | | 24 | 2.6% |
| #3 | Maryland | | 10 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 7 | 0.8% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.5% |
New York share of Kamau's total US births 4.2%
Even split
39 of 931 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kamau? ▼
931 babies have been named Kamau since 1971. It currently ranks #7362 among boys. The peak year was 1995 with 34 births.
When was Kamau most popular? ▼
Kamau was most popular in the 1990s decade with 246 total births. The single peak year was 1995.
Where is Kamau most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kamau are New York (39 births), California (24 births), Maryland (10 births).
How long has the name Kamau been used? ▼
Records for Kamau go back to 1971, giving 55 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kamau? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kameron, Kamden, Kamari, Kamron, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kamau's data
- Kamau's decade-level peak was the 1990s (246 total births); usage has since declined to 70 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Kamaus (39 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Kamau
Nearby Names Like Kamau
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kamau
Kameron Boy
#430 39,012 births
Kamden Boy
#628 12,556 births
Kamari Boy
#389 12,545 births
Kamron Boy
#1843 7,260 births
Kamryn Boy
#1192 5,395 births
Compare Kamau side by side: Kamau vs Kameron Kamau vs Kamden Kamau vs Kamari
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kamau
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, 1971–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kamau: #7362 Boys' Name - 931 Births, Peak 1995." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kamau. 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 Kamau 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.