Damu

A boy's name of Swahili origin with 34 recorded U.S. births.

Boy's nameRare nameNot ranked recently

Meaning & Origin

Damu is a two-syllable boy's name with a open, approachable sound — ending on a vowel softens the overall impression. With only 34 recorded U.S. births, it is exceptionally rare — the kind of name most people encounter for the first time when they meet your child.

Damu is not in the current top 1,000 boy names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.

Damu is a boy's baby name of Swahili origin, meaning 'blood' in Swahili — a name that in East African tradition can connote kinship, lineage, and the deep bonds of family. It also appears in ancient Sumerian mythology as a deity associated with healing.

Rare and direct, Damu carries the weight of its meaning — a name rooted in the idea of family connection and belonging, used across East African communities.

EtymologyShow more

Damu is cataloged under the Swahili naming tradition. Names from the Swahili tradition carry linguistic and cultural patterns that shape their sound, structure, and associations.

In the U.S., Damu has been recorded as a boy's name since 1971, with 34 total births. Browse the Swahili names hub on this site to explore the broader family.

At a Glance

Unranked

Current Rank

Total births

Since 1971

1974

Peak year

9 births

Compare Damu with another name

Popularity Over Time

Damu has 5+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1971.

First appeared: 1971Peak: 1974 (9 births)

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Damu
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
1970s	34	#4540	—

The Story of Damu

A Gen X name

Peaking in 1974, Damu is a Gen X staple. Boys named Damu are most likely born between 1971 and 1977.

How rare is Damu?

With fewer than 500 recorded births, Damu is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1971, peaked in the 1970s with 34 births that decade.

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(5 years, 1971–1977)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Damu
Year	Births	Rank	Change
1977	6	#5263	0
1976	6	#5057	-3 (-33.3%)
1974	9	#3625	+1 (12.5%)
1972	8	#3695	+3 (60.0%)
1971	5	#5061	—

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Damu a boy's or girl's name?

Damu is primarily a boy's name.

When was Damu most popular?

Damu reached its peak popularity in 1974 with 9 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Damu?

Damu is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 34 babies in the U.S. since 1971. Its peak was in 1974.

Explore More

By Length4-letter names By OriginSwahili names By EndingNames in -u TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1971–1977