Holding steady, #5,554 for girls today.
Popularity of Adama since 1973
Babies named Adama per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2007, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Adama's real moment was 2020.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 27 | 19 |
| 1980s | 36 | 41 |
| 1990s | 86 | 38 |
| 2000s | 192 | 114 |
| 2010s | 196 | 145 |
| 2020s | 122 | 92 |
Meaning & origin
Adama is a rare unisex name first recorded in the United States in 1973, with a peak in 2020 (rank 5,554) and a stable trajectory entering the 2020s. About 1 in 73,058 newborns received the name in 2025, with Ohio as its strongest state. Its dual Hebrew and African origins give it broad cultural resonance without strong gender expectations, fitting modern naming preferences.
Adama has multiple possible origins. In Hebrew, it is a feminine form of Adam, derived from 'adamah' meaning 'earth' or 'red earth'. In some West African languages, particularly in Mali and Senegal, Adama is a unisex name meaning 'beautiful' or 'child of beauty'. The name gained limited use in the United States from the 1970s onward, influenced by African diaspora naming trends and biblical associations.
Where Adama is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Adama” around the world
Where Adama lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
140
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Addie, Ada
Sibling names for Adama
Names that share Adama's style, for a brother or sister.
