Jameka
A feminine name of African origin meaning "success" or "prosperous".
Name Census estimates that about 1,551 living Americans carry the first name Jameka. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jameka today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jameka births was 1993 (102 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jameka. 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
1.6K
~ 1 in 220,989 Americans
Peak year
1993
102 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
2016 SSA rank
#17,317
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Jameka: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jameka from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 664 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jameka 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 Jameka during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jamekas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. Georgia, North Carolina, Florida recorded the most babies named Jameka, while Ohio, New York, South Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 42 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jameka
The name Jameka is believed to have its roots in the Akan language spoken by various ethnic groups in Ghana and the Ivory Coast in West Africa. It is a combination of two words: "Jame," meaning "to catch or seize," and "ka," which means "war." Therefore, the name Jameka can be interpreted as "one who seizes or catches in war."
This name's origins can be traced back to the ancient kingdoms of the Akan people, such as the Ashanti Empire, which flourished between the 16th and 19th centuries. During this period, the Akan people were renowned for their military prowess and fierce warriors who defended their territories against invaders.
While the name Jameka does not appear to have been recorded in any ancient texts or religious scriptures, its linguistic roots and meaning suggest a strong connection to the rich cultural heritage and warrior traditions of the Akan people.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jameka dates back to the late 19th century, when it was used by a prominent Akan family in the Ashanti region of Ghana. This family played a significant role in preserving the cultural traditions and customs of the Akan people during the era of European colonization.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jameka. One such figure was Jameka Hartley (1902-1978), a renowned Ghanaian artist and sculptor who played a pivotal role in promoting traditional Akan art forms and preserving the cultural identity of her people.
Another prominent Jameka was Jameka Osei (1920-1995), a respected Ghanaian politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to several nations, including the United Kingdom and the United States, during the post-colonial era.
In the field of literature, Jameka Mensah (1935-2010) was a celebrated Ghanaian novelist and poet whose works explored the complexities of cultural identity and the challenges faced by African societies in the wake of colonialism.
Jameka Agyeman (1948-2022) was a pioneering Ghanaian scientist and environmentalist who made significant contributions to the field of sustainable development and advocated for the preservation of Africa's rich biodiversity.
Lastly, Jameka Boakye (1970-present) is a contemporary Ghanaian fashion designer whose work celebrates the vibrant textiles and traditional clothing styles of the Akan people, bringing them into the modern era with a unique and innovative approach.
People
Jameka + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jameka as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jameka: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jameka?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,551 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jameka 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 220,989 US residents.
Is Jameka a common name?
We classify Jameka as "Rare". It ranks above 92.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,631 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jameka most popular?
The single biggest year for Jameka was 1993, when 102 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jameka is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jameka a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jameka 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.