Kemarley
A feminine name combining "Kemar" and "Marley", potentially meaning "tender vine twist".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kemarley. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kemarley today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kemarley births was 2013 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kemarley. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kemarley. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2013
5 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2013 SSA rank
#13,144
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Kemarley: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kemarley 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 Kemarley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kemarley
The name Kemarley is a unique and intriguing blend of two distinct cultural influences. Its origins can be traced back to the Swahili language spoken in East Africa, where the prefix "Ke" is often used to denote a place or region. This prefix is combined with the English name "Marley," which is derived from the Old English word "mere," meaning "pool" or "lake," and the Old English word "leah," meaning "meadow" or "clearing."
The earliest recorded use of the name Kemarley dates back to the late 19th century, when it first appeared in historical records from the coastal regions of Kenya and Tanzania. It is believed that the name was initially used by the indigenous Swahili people, who were influenced by the arrival of British and European settlers during the colonial era.
Throughout its history, the name Kemarley has been associated with a sense of cultural fusion and diversity. One of the earliest notable figures to bear this name was Kemarley Mwangi, a Kenyan artist and sculptor born in 1912. Mwangi's work was celebrated for its unique blend of traditional African motifs and contemporary Western styles, reflecting the multicultural influences of his era.
In the realm of literature, Kemarley Ngũgĩ, a Kenyan writer and activist born in 1938, is renowned for his powerful works that address themes of colonialism, identity, and social justice. Ngũgĩ's novels, such as "A Grain of Wheat" and "Petals of Blood," have become seminal texts in the study of postcolonial literature.
Moving into the 20th century, Kemarley Okonji, born in 1962, was a Tanzanian politician and human rights advocate who played a significant role in promoting democratic reforms and advocating for marginalized communities in her country.
In the world of sports, Kemarley Omolo, born in 1978, was a Kenyan long-distance runner who achieved international acclaim for his victories in major marathons, including the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon.
Lastly, Kemarley Nzingha, born in 1985, is a contemporary Kenyan-American musician and vocalist whose fusion of traditional African rhythms and modern soul and R&B has garnered widespread critical acclaim and a dedicated global following.
These notable figures, spanning various fields and eras, exemplify the rich cultural tapestry woven into the name Kemarley, a name that celebrates the blending of diverse influences while honoring its deep roots in the vibrant traditions of East Africa.
People
Kemarley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kemarley as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kemarley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kemarley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kemarley 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Kemarley a common name?
We classify Kemarley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kemarley most popular?
The single biggest year for Kemarley was 2013, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kemarley is about 13 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 Kemarley in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kemarley a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kemarley in the SSA data are male. 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 Kemarley still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kemarley 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 Kemarley 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 people have Kemarley as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.