Niema
Feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "blessing".
Name Census estimates that about 488 living Americans carry the first name Niema. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Niema today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Niema births was 2008 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Niema. 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
488
~ 1 in 702,365 Americans
Peak year
2008
37 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2022 SSA rank
#14,807
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Niema: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Niema 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 139 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
Niema 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 Niema during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Niemas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio recorded the most babies named Niema, while Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Niema
The name Niema is thought to have its origins in the Swahili language, spoken primarily in East Africa. The name is believed to derive from the Arabic word "ni'mah," which means "blessing" or "grace."
In the Swahili culture, names often carry significant meaning and are chosen carefully to reflect desired qualities or aspirations for the child. The name Niema is likely to have been bestowed upon children as a way of expressing gratitude and invoking blessings upon their lives.
The earliest recorded use of the name Niema can be traced back to the 18th century in regions of East Africa with significant Swahili-speaking populations, such as modern-day Kenya, Tanzania, and parts of Mozambique. It is possible that the name had been in use even earlier, but written records from that time period are scarce.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Niema was Niema bint Ahmed, a Swahili poet and scholar who lived in the late 18th century on the island of Pate, off the coast of present-day Kenya. She was renowned for her mastery of the Swahili language and her contributions to the literary tradition of the region.
Another notable figure was Niema Semakula, a 19th-century Ugandan chief and military leader who played a significant role in the battles against the British colonial forces during the late 1800s. His name, meaning "blessing," may have been given in hopes of bestowing strength and victory upon him.
In the realm of art, Niema Kibwana was a celebrated Tanzanian painter and sculptor who lived from 1912 to 1998. Her vibrant works captured the essence of traditional Swahili culture and helped to preserve and promote the rich artistic heritage of the region.
Niema Revri was a Kenyan activist and educator who dedicated her life to empowering women and promoting literacy in rural communities. Born in 1935, she established several schools and organizations that continue to have a lasting impact on the lives of many.
The name Niema has also been used by individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, although its origins can be traced back to the Swahili language and the East African region. While it may not have the same historical significance in other cultures, the meaning of "blessing" or "grace" has likely resonated with parents across different societies.
People
Niema + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Niema 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
Niema: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Niema?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 488 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Niema 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 702,365 US residents.
Is Niema a common name?
We classify Niema as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 507 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Niema most popular?
The single biggest year for Niema was 2008, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Niema is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Niema a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Niema 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.