Hema
Golden, precious, or red-colored gemstone in Sanskrit.
Name Census estimates that about 159 living Americans carry the first name Hema. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hema today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hema births was 2007 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hema. 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
159
~ 1 in 2,155,688 Americans
Peak year
2007
10 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,057
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Hema: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hema from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 53 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hema 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 Hema during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hemas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hema
The name Hema has its origins in ancient Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages in the world. Derived from the word "hema," meaning "golden" or "golden-red," it was initially used as a descriptive term for someone with a radiant complexion or golden-hued hair.
In Hindu mythology, Hema is also the name of a renowned goddess, often depicted as the personification of the earth's golden riches and fertility. Her name is mentioned in various sacred texts, including the Puranas and the Mahabharata, further solidifying its presence in Indian culture and tradition.
The earliest recorded use of Hema as a personal name can be traced back to ancient Indian inscriptions and manuscripts dating back to the 5th century BCE. Over the centuries, the name gained widespread popularity across the Indian subcontinent, transcending regional and linguistic boundaries.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Hema was Hema Malini, an acclaimed Indian actress and politician born in 1948. Known for her elegance and versatility, she has graced the silver screen for over five decades and continues to be a revered cultural icon.
Another prominent figure was Hema Sane, an Indian social reformer and educationist born in 1914. She dedicated her life to empowering women and advocating for equal educational opportunities, leaving an indelible mark on the Indian feminist movement.
In the realm of literature, Hema Veeravalli, an Indian-American author born in 1977, has garnered critical acclaim for her works exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the immigrant experience.
Moving beyond India, Hema Upadhyay, a Nepalese mountaineer born in 1972, etched her name in history by becoming the first Nepalese woman to summit Mount Everest in 2008, inspiring countless others to reach for their dreams.
Hema Ramaswamy, an Indian-American classical dancer and choreographer born in 1970, has been instrumental in preserving and promoting the art of Bharatanatyam, a traditional Indian dance form, on the global stage.
While the name Hema has its roots in ancient Sanskrit, it has transcended cultural and geographical boundaries, becoming a symbol of grace, radiance, and achievement for those who bear it.
People
Hema + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hema as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hema: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hema?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 159 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hema 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 2,155,688 US residents.
Is Hema a common name?
We classify Hema as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 165 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hema most popular?
The single biggest year for Hema was 2007, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hema is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hema a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hema 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.