Diem
A feminine Vietnamese name meaning "day" or "period of time".
Name Census estimates that about 785 living Americans carry the first name Diem. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 88.9% of registrations being female. The average person named Diem today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Diem births was 2016 (63 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Diem. 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.
People living today
785
~ 1 in 436,630 Americans
Peak year
2016
63 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2022 SSA rank
#7,309
Tracked since 1980
Gender
Gender distribution for Diem
Diem leans heavily female at 88.9% of total registrations, but 89 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Diem as a male name
- Ranked #12,819 in 2022
- 5 male births in 2022
- Peak: 2018 (9 births)
Diem as a female name
- Ranked #7,309 in 2024
- 15 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2012 (57 births)
Popularity
Diem: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Diem from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 420 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Diem 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 Diem during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Diems live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, Pennsylvania, Texas recorded the most babies named Diem, while Ohio, New York, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Diem
The name Diem originates from the Vietnamese language, where it means "beauty" or "beautiful woman." This name has its roots in ancient Vietnamese culture, dating back several centuries. In the Vietnamese language, the word "diem" can also refer to a dot or a mark, symbolizing the essence of beauty in simplicity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Diem can be found in the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. During this period, the name was commonly given to daughters of noble families, reflecting the importance placed on beauty and grace in Vietnamese society.
In Vietnamese literature, the name Diem has been associated with characters renowned for their beauty and virtue. For example, in the famous Vietnamese epic poem "The Tale of Kieu," the central character, Kieu, is often referred to as "Diem Nhan," which translates to "beautiful lady."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Diem. One of the most prominent was Ngo Dinh Diem (1901-1963), the first president of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963. Although he was not a woman, his name reflected the Vietnamese tradition of giving meaningful names to children.
Another famous Diem was Diem Caravelle (1891-1944), a Vietnamese painter and artist who is considered a pioneer of modern Vietnamese art. Her works often depicted scenes from Vietnamese daily life and nature, capturing the beauty of her homeland.
In the realm of literature, Diem Phuong Thi Nguyen (born 1960) is a renowned Vietnamese-American writer and poet. Her works explore themes of identity, displacement, and the immigrant experience, resonating with readers worldwide.
Diem Brown (1982-2014) was an American television personality and advocate for cancer awareness. Despite her battle with cancer, she remained an inspiration to many, embodying the strength and resilience associated with her name.
Diem Phung Thi (born 1986) is a Vietnamese-American singer and actress who has achieved success in both the music and film industries. Her name reflects the beauty and talent she possesses, captivating audiences with her performances.
People
Diem + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Diem 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
Diem: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Diem?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 785 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Diem 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 436,630 US residents.
Is Diem a common name?
We classify Diem as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 799 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Diem most popular?
The single biggest year for Diem was 2016, when 63 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Diem is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Diem a female name?
Yes, 88.9% of people registered as Diem 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.