Decima
Of Latin origin, meaning "the tenth" or "pertaining to tithe or a decimal system."
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Decima. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Decima today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Decima births was 1914 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Decima. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Decima. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1914
9 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
1973 SSA rank
#8,731
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Decima: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Decima from the 1910s through to the 1970s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 9 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Decima remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Decima by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Decima during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Decima
The name Decima is derived from the Latin word "decimus," which means "tenth." Its origins can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was used to denote the tenth child born in a family or the tenth in a sequence.
In Roman culture, the name Decima held significance as a reflection of the family's fertility and the importance placed on having multiple children. It was a name often given to daughters born as the tenth child, serving as a numerical identifier within the family structure.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Decima comes from the 1st century AD, when a Roman woman named Decima Candida was mentioned in an inscription found in Pompeii. This historical reference suggests that the name was in use during the early years of the Roman Empire.
Throughout the centuries, the name Decima has been borne by several notable figures. In the 4th century AD, Decima was the name of a Christian martyr who was killed during the persecution of Christians under the Roman emperor Diocletian. Her story is recounted in various early Christian texts.
Another prominent figure with the name Decima was Decima Septima Severina, a Roman empress who lived in the 3rd century AD. She was the wife of the Roman emperor Aurelian and is remembered for her influence and involvement in political affairs during her husband's reign.
In the 15th century, Decima Morata was an Italian Renaissance scholar and writer known for her proficiency in Latin and Greek. Born in 1508, she was widely acclaimed for her literary works and contributions to the intellectual circles of her time.
During the 16th century, Decima Candida was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts. She played a significant role in supporting and promoting the works of renowned artists and writers, including Michelangelo and Vittoria Colonna.
While not as commonly used as some other names, Decima has maintained a presence throughout history, carrying with it the legacy of its Roman origins and numerical significance. Its unique connection to the concept of being the tenth in a sequence has made it a distinctive and meaningful choice for parents over the centuries.
People
Decima + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Decima as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Decima: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Decima?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Decima going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Decima a common name?
We classify Decima as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 22 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Decima most popular?
The single biggest year for Decima was 1914, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Decima is about 51 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Decima a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Decima in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.