Fela
Fela is a diminutive of Olufela used as a nickname. People with the name include:Fela Kuti, Nigerian musician and political activist Fela Durotoye, Nigerian business consultant and politician Fela Sowande, Nigerian musician and composer
Meaning & Origin of Fela
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Fela is a diminutive of Olufela used as a nickname. People with the name include:Fela Kuti, Nigerian musician and political activist Fela Durotoye, Nigerian business consultant and politician Fela Sowande, Nigerian musician and composer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Fela
As a girl name
Fela first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1920, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1972, when 9 Felas were born — ranking #5,477 that year. As of 2026, Fela ranks #13,458 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 45 Felas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Fela first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2006, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 5 Felas were born — ranking #12,053 that year. As of 2026, Fela ranks #12,053 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Felas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Fela
Phonetically similar names — useful when Fela is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fela
What does the name Fela mean?
How popular is Fela in 2026?
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About the name Fela
Fela is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1920 and has accumulated 45 births in the dataset. Fela's peak popularity came in 1972 when it ranked #5,477. Use the chart and map above to compare Fela's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1972 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "F" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.