Sonko

Sonko is a surname of West African origin, and, less commonly, a place name. It is found among communities in Senegal and The Gambia and in diaspora communities around the world. As a family name, it appears across various professions, including politics, sports, and academia.

The most widely known person with the name is Ousmane Sonko (born 1974), a Senegalese politician and anti-corruption activist who founded the political party Pastef. Since emerging on the national stage in the 2010s, Sonko has been a vocal and sometimes controversial figure within Senegalese politics, often described as part of the reformist opposition.

Beyond this prominent figure, the surname appears among other individuals in West Africa, reflecting the region's diverse languages and cultural groups. The name's distribution and any etymology are not widely documented in English-language sources.