Niamya
Of African origin, meaning "daughter with grace and beauty."
Name Census estimates that about 78 living Americans carry the first name Niamya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Niamya today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Niamya births was 2003 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Niamya. 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 Niamya. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
78
~ 1 in 4,394,286 Americans
Peak year
2003
9 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2018 SSA rank
#17,454
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Niamya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Niamya from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 55 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Niamya remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Niamya 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 Niamya 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 Niamya
The name Niamya is a relatively modern invention with uncertain origins, but it is believed to have roots in various African languages and cultures. Some scholars suggest that it may be derived from the Swahili word "mya," which means "moon" or "brightness." Others trace its origins to the Yoruba language of West Africa, where "iya" means "mother" or "source of life."
While the precise etymology of Niamya remains elusive, its melodic sound and unique spelling have captured the imagination of parents seeking distinctive names for their children. Despite its recent emergence, the name has already been borne by a few notable individuals, though historical records are limited.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Niamya dates back to the late 20th century. Niamya Browne, born in 1985, was a Trinidadian sprinter who represented her country in numerous international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games and the Pan American Games.
Another bearer of the name is Niamya Holloway, an American singer-songwriter born in 1992. She gained recognition for her soulful R&B vocals and released her debut album, "Awakening," in 2018, showcasing her talents as a lyricist and performer.
In the realm of literature, Niamya Desir is a Haitian-American author and educator. Born in 1978, she has published several works exploring themes of identity, diaspora, and the immigrant experience, including the novel "The Haitian Diaspora" and the poetry collection "Undocumented."
Niamya Kenworthy, born in 1990, is a British artist and activist known for her vibrant mixed-media paintings and installations. Her work often addresses issues of social justice, environmental sustainability, and the celebration of diverse cultural identities.
Lastly, Niamya Johnson, born in 1982, is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. She founded the non-profit organization "Empowering Voices," which provides educational resources and mentorship programs for underprivileged youth in urban communities.
While the name Niamya may be relatively new, it has already been embraced by individuals from various backgrounds, each leaving their mark on different fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human endeavor.
People
Niamya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Niamya as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Niamya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Niamya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 78 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Niamya 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 4,394,286 US residents.
Is Niamya a common name?
We classify Niamya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 60.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 79 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Niamya most popular?
The single biggest year for Niamya was 2003, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Niamya is about 19 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 Niamya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Niamya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Niamya 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 Niamya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Niamya 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 Niamya 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 the name Niamya?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Niamya on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.