Okey is an uncommon given name of Nigerian origin. It is derived from the Igbo language and means "a rich child." The name has historical significance in Nigeria as it was borne by Okey Ndibe, a prominent Nigerian novelist, essayist, and scholar who lived from 1960 to 2017. Ndibe played a significant role in promoting African literature and culture globally. While the name may not be widely used outside of Nigeria, it holds cultural importance within the country and among those with Nigerian heritage.
Based on the provided statistics, the name Okey has had a fluctuating popularity in the United States over the years. The earliest recorded birth with the name Okey was in 1881, with only 5 births that year. The following year, the number of births with this name increased to 13.
The most significant surge in popularity for the name Okey occurred between 1913 and 1925. During this period, there were over 20 births per year, peaking at 48 births in 1925. This was the highest number of Okey births recorded in any given year.
However, after 1925, the popularity of the name began to decline steadily. By the late 1930s and early 1940s, there were fewer than 20 births per year with the name Okey. This trend continued throughout the mid-century, with the number of annual births with this name fluctuating between single digits and teens.
In more recent years, from 1988 to 1995, there were only five or seven births each year with the name Okey. Overall, since the late 20th century, the popularity of the name Okey has been quite low in the United States, with a total of 1462 births recorded over the years.