Jamesa
A feminine variant of James, a masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "may God protect".
Name Census estimates that about 279 living Americans carry the first name Jamesa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jamesa today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jamesa births was 1990 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jamesa. 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
279
~ 1 in 1,228,510 Americans
Peak year
1990
19 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2015 SSA rank
#17,566
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Jamesa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jamesa 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 127 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
Jamesa 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 Jamesa 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 Jamesa
The name Jamesa is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language, derived from the root word "Jameesa," which means "beautiful" or "lovely." This name can be traced back to the 7th century, during the rise of the Islamic civilization.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jamesa is found in the writings of the renowned Arab poet and scholar, Al-Mutanabbi, who lived from 915 to 965 CE. In his poetry, he made reference to a woman named Jamesa, describing her as a paragon of beauty and grace.
In the 11th century, the name Jamesa gained further prominence when it was mentioned in the historical chronicles of the Abbasid Caliphate. These records document a prominent female figure named Jamesa, who was known for her wisdom and influence in the court of the Caliph.
Throughout the centuries, the name Jamesa has been carried by several notable individuals. One such figure was Jamesa al-Baghdadi, a celebrated female poet and scholar who lived in Baghdad during the 13th century. She was renowned for her masterful command of the Arabic language and her contributions to the literary and intellectual circles of her time.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Jamesa was Jamesa al-Andalusi, a skilled physician and botanist who lived in Andalusia, Spain, during the 12th century. Her groundbreaking work on medicinal plants and their uses in traditional Arabic medicine earned her widespread recognition and respect.
In the realm of Islamic mysticism, Jamesa al-Sufi, a 9th-century Sufi mystic and poet, is remembered for her devotional poetry and her profound insights into the spiritual path. Her writings continue to inspire and guide seekers of spiritual enlightenment to this day.
While the name Jamesa has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and been embraced by other cultures and traditions over time. This name serves as a testament to the enduring beauty and timelessness of its meaning, reflecting the universal appreciation for grace, wisdom, and artistic expression.
People
Jamesa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jamesa 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
Jamesa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jamesa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 279 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jamesa 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 1,228,510 US residents.
Is Jamesa a common name?
We classify Jamesa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 293 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jamesa most popular?
The single biggest year for Jamesa was 1990, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jamesa is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jamesa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jamesa 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.