Obama

The word “Obama” means a Luo surname, notably borne by Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States, and also the name of a Japanese city and samurai clan.

“Obama” is pronounced oh-BAH-muh (/oʊˈbɑ.mə/ in IPA).

Here is “Obama” used in a sentence: “Barack Obama served two terms as U.S. president.”

“Obama” is a name.

“Obama” is a fairly common word in modern English.

Obama is a surname from the Luo people of East Africa, especially Kenya, where it is fairly common. It reached global recognition through Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, whose father was a Luo Kenyan. Coincidentally, Obama is also an unrelated place name in Japan.

Yes. Obama is a small coastal city in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, and the name has no connection to the Luo surname — the two simply share a spelling. There was also a historical Obama samurai clan. The Japanese city drew attention in 2008 for sharing its name with the candidate.

Barack Obama is by far the best-known bearer of the name. He served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017 and was the country's first African-American president. His wife Michelle Obama and their daughters also made the surname internationally recognisable.

Obama is a traditional Luo personal and family name from East Africa. As with many Luo names, its precise meaning is tied to the circumstances of birth and can vary between families, so sources give differing interpretations. What is consistent is its origin in Luo naming custom rather than any single fixed definition.