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Baba as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Baba

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The baby name Baba is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced BAH-bah (IPA: /ˈbɑːbə/; also pronounced /ˈbæbə/ in some accents).

Baba is Persian, Swahili, Turkish in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Persian, Swahili, Turkish
Pronunciation: BAH-bah (IPA: /ˈbɑːbə/; also pronounced /ˈbæbə/ in some accents)

What is the meaning of the name Baba ?

The baby name Baba is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced BAH-bah (IPA: /ˈbɑːbə/; also pronounced /ˈbæbə/ in some accents).

Baba is Persian, Swahili, Turkish in Origin.

Baba is a cross-cultural given name and honorific with layered meanings. In Yoruba and other West African languages, Bàbá means “father” or “elder,” underpinning its use as a respectful male name; compounds like Babatunde (“father returns”) share the same root. Across Persian, Turkish, and South Asian languages, bābā likewise denotes “father,” “elder,” or “holy man,” appearing as a title for Sufi and Hindu ascetics (e.g., Sai Baba) and sometimes adopted as a given name. In Slavic languages, baba refers to an older woman or grandmother, a semantic cousin rather than a common given name.

Usage spans West Africa (Senegal, Gambia, Nigeria, Mali) and South Asia, typically masculine but sometimes unisex as a familial endearment. Variants and related forms include Bàbá/Babá (orthographic accents), Babatunde, Babacar, Babak (“little father,” Persian), and Buba. Baba is also a widespread surname in Japan (馬場), where it is not used as a first name.

Baba has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Baba

Ur-baba Royal · Born -2163 · Lagash Ur-baba was a ruler of the ancient Sumerian city-state of Lagash, known for his contributions to the development of the region during his reign. He is recognized for his efforts in building and restoring temples and for maintaining peace and prosperity in Lagash.

Baba – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
KH Boys 0 #9 1 270
ET Girls 0 #16 1 372
DJ 0 #17 1 322
BF Boys 0 #24 3 439
ET Boys 0 #27 1 678
DJ Girls 0 #29 1 488
NA 0 #32 2 2,537
CM 0 #33 23 2,592
MV Girls 0 #35 1 2,021
DJ Boys 0 #36 1 657
TM Boys 0 #36 1 614
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
AZ 0 #40 4 706
BI Boys 0 #42 3 917
GE 0 #44 1 997
AF 0 #59 18 1,883
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
AO 0 #70 8 2,729
IN 0 #71 1 2,963
GH Boys 0 #72 879 8,138
AL 0 #73 4 2,372
AZ Girls 0 #75 1 1,051
MV Boys 0 #77 3 3,375
GH 0 #80 224 5,396
JM 0 #93 1 3,714
AZ Boys 0 #99 32 1,400
BW Boys 0 #100 50 4,685
QA 0 #101 6 7,011
SD 0 #101 2 2,130
TW 0 #101 3 4,523
ID Girls 0 #102 1 3,319
GE Boys 0 #106 5 2,055
GE Girls 0 #107 2 1,564
PH 0 #109 2 5,607
HU 0 #112 4 1,675
KW 0 #117 5 5,216
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
BN Boys 0 #122 12 6,332
ID Boys 0 #131 5 4,130
RS Girls 0 #131 7 1,651
NG Boys 0 #133 4,101 16,906
GR 0 #134 2 3,911
CM Boys 0 #142 955 12,054
EE Girls 0 #142 1 1,888
BW Girls 0 #149 3 4,216
RS Boys 0 #151 4 2,277
AE 0 #164 14 10,220
CR 0 #164 2 5,526
MT Boys 0 #172 8 4,064
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
NG 0 #174 92 5,926
HR 0 #177 5 2,081
SI Girls 0 #177 1 2,769
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
AF Boys 0 #190 83 3,535
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
SI Boys 0 #190 20 3,402
LT Girls 0 #200 1 1,904
MO Boys 0 #206 18 5,842
AO Boys 0 #208 35 5,568
LU Boys 0 #209 10 4,970
BG Girls 0 #210 14 3,559
PL 0 #211 2 2,600
NA Girls 0 #213 12 7,146
AO Girls 0 #214 4 4,575
BG Boys 0 #214 7 3,850
BD 0 #215 13 5,992
HU Girls 0 #220 6 3,308
NA Boys 0 #223 13 6,830
GR Boys 0 #225 43 6,912
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
AL Boys 0 #243 56 5,122
GH Girls 0 #243 83 6,973
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
GR Girls 0 #249 1 6,293
HR Boys 0 #249 10 3,997
JP Girls 0 #249 3 6,592
TW Boys 0 #251 6 7,111
JM Boys 0 #253 20 6,876
MO Girls 0 #259 5 7,056
LY 0 #266 317 12,703
SA 0 #272 24 10,560
JP Boys 0 #275 23 7,909
HR Girls 0 #276 14 3,687
KZ Boys 0 #280 10 6,578
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
TW Girls 0 #288 2 8,139
QA Girls 0 #294 23 15,378
SD Boys 0 #299 153 10,523
CN Boys 0 #300 20 9,639
CZ Boys 0 #300 6 6,530
DK Boys 0 #310 16 7,401
MY 0 #312 19 12,352
PL Girls 0 #317 38 5,096
PL Boys 0 #323 13 6,459
KW Boys 0 #324 560 18,755
IN Boys 0 #330 1,116 16,750
KZ Girls 0 #330 3 5,862
CZ Girls 0 #332 10 5,378
JO Girls 0 #334 6 7,570
MU Boys 0 #336 22 8,477
SD Girls 0 #336 10 7,678
MU Girls 0 #342 10 8,539
PT Boys 0 #347 21 7,951
HK 0 #352 6 8,483
EG Boys 0 #353 934 15,035
OM Girls 0 #358 39 15,987
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
JO Boys 0 #362 16 7,057
YE 0 #365 17 8,639
PH Boys 0 #366 18 11,440
EG 0 #369 32 6,387
France Boys 2021 #370 18 2,865
BD Girls 0 #370 17 8,413
PH Girls 0 #376 15 13,098
SA Boys 0 #380 3,325 28,008
Finland Boys 0 #388 40 2,041
BH 0 #390 164 17,937
Austria Boys 0 #402 41 2,180
MA 0 #402 1,433 20,986
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
UY Boys 0 #409 5 5,922
HK Boys 0 #412 119 12,905
QA Boys 0 #415 305 18,093
ZA 0 #416 32 14,421
DZ 0 #421 1,304 20,130
CM Girls 0 #424 118 11,671
PT Girls 0 #439 13 7,952
Spain 0 #440 13 2,326
MX 0 #443 3 8,339
OM Boys 0 #454 517 17,948
TR 0 #459 2,507 19,440
IQ Girls 0 #464 41 11,303
KW Girls 0 #465 51 19,177
RU Boys 0 #469 37 12,621
IR Boys 0 #471 82 10,162
AE Boys 0 #475 842 22,615
RU Girls 0 #478 21 11,913
AR Boys 0 #479 5 7,628
AE Girls 0 #489 65 20,968
BD Boys 0 #493 84 10,045
CR Boys 0 #502 9 10,188
PA Boys 0 #503 3 9,305
PS Girls 0 #512 12 10,981
PA Girls 0 #518 1 9,861
IQ Boys 0 #519 149 13,071
IR Girls 0 #519 12 8,334
PS Boys 0 #521 28 10,655
EG Girls 0 #532 506 14,742
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
TN 0 #544 322 13,765
IN Girls 0 #559 73 13,121
ZA Boys 0 #564 845 25,619
Spain Boys 0 #565 415 5,610
CR Girls 0 #571 3 11,342
SG Girls 0 #572 15 18,916
IL Boys 0 #583 25 10,983
MY Boys 0 #591 596 25,439
HK Girls 0 #595 21 16,104
NG Girls 0 #599 193 15,093
SG Boys 0 #600 98 17,960
IL Girls 0 #606 12 11,648
LB 0 #615 44 13,263
SA Girls 0 #625 320 25,931
AR Girls 0 #629 2 8,289
BO Girls 0 #651 1 9,488
IT 0 #674 41 4,183
IT Boys 0 #683 1,028 10,046
CL Boys 0 #694 7 13,390
SY 0 #702 27 11,684
Germany Boys 0 #710 248 5,697
BR Boys 0 #731 21 12,213
Germany Girls 0 #802 37 4,949
NL Boys 0 #827 125 5,873
United States Boys 2022 #904 5 7,226
CL Girls 0 #915 1 14,098
PE Boys 0 #922 5 14,506
BR Girls 0 #928 14 12,708
MY Girls 0 #936 59 24,821
ZA Girls 0 #939 203 25,928
NL Girls 0 #943 13 5,933
Spain Girls 0 #968 16 5,561
CO Boys 0 #976 6 15,656
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
MX Boys 0 #1,028 6 16,355
CO Girls 0 #1,150 3 16,140
IT Girls 0 #1,263 184 9,415
MX Girls 0 #1,266 2 17,781

Baba is popular in 88 countries — most recent births per country:

France
United States
AE
AF
AL

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Baba

Baba is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Baba is a 2 syllable name, pronounced BAH-bah (IPA: /ˈbɑːbə/; also pronounced /ˈbæbə/ in some accents).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Bába (Czech/Slovak spelling), Babá (colloquial/affectionate forms), Babu (South Asian diminutive), Bapa (Malay/Indonesian variant) and Baba (as a surname).
Across languages, Baba has these equivalents: Abba (Aramaic/Hebrew), Papa/Pappa (various languages), Padre (Spanish/Italian), Père (French), Bapu (Gujarati/honorific for 'father').
Yes — Baba ranked #370 in France in 2021, and appears in official birth registries across 2 countries.
Baba ranks highest in France (#370 in 2021).
Yes — 1 notable people named Baba are in our database, including Ur-baba (Royal).