Fayma
A feminine Arabic name meaning "quintessence" or "sum total of all perfections".
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Fayma. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Fayma today is around 96 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fayma births was 1918 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fayma. 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
- • The typical person named Fayma is about 96 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Faymas were born before 1940.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Fayma. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1918
8 babies that year
Average age
96
years old
1938 SSA rank
#4,549
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Fayma: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fayma from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 24 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Fayma remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fayma 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 Fayma 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 Fayma
The name Fayma is a feminine given name with roots in the Arabic language. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in regions where Arabic is spoken, such as parts of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
One theory suggests that Fayma is derived from the Arabic word "fayma," which means "fragrant" or "pleasant-smelling." This may indicate that the name was initially given to girls with the hope that they would possess a sweet and pleasing demeanor or personality.
Another possible origin of the name Fayma is that it is a variation of the Arabic name "Fatima," which has a rich historical and religious significance in Islamic culture. Fatima was the name of the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, and she is highly revered in the Islamic faith.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Fayma can be traced back to the medieval period in various Arabic texts and records. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time when the name first came into use.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Fayma. One example is Fayma Al-Zahraa, an Algerian writer and scholar who lived in the 19th century and was known for her contributions to Arabic literature.
Another significant figure with the name Fayma was Fayma Al-Sharaabi, a Moroccan poet and activist who lived in the early 20th century. She played a crucial role in advocating for women's rights and education in her home country.
In the realm of art, Fayma Saab was a renowned Lebanese painter and sculptor who lived from 1906 to 1983. Her works were widely celebrated for their vibrant colors and depictions of daily life in the Middle East.
Fayma Al-Maliki was an Iraqi politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Human Rights in Iraq from 2004 to 2005. She worked tirelessly to promote human rights and democracy in her country.
Lastly, Fayma El-Kasri was a Syrian activist and human rights defender who fought for the rights of women and minorities in Syria. She was tragically killed in 2015 during the ongoing conflict in her home country.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who carried the name Fayma and made significant contributions to their respective fields and societies.
People
Fayma + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fayma as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Fayma: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fayma?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fayma 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Fayma a common name?
We classify Fayma as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 47 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fayma most popular?
The single biggest year for Fayma was 1918, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fayma is about 96 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Fayma in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Fayma a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Fayma 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.
Is Fayma still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Fayma in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Fayma can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Fayma?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.