Noma
A feminine Japanese name meaning "beauty" or "beautiful".
Name Census estimates that about 310 living Americans carry the first name Noma. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Noma today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Noma births was 1916 (66 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Noma. 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
- • The typical person named Noma is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Nomas were born before 1957.
People living today
310
~ 1 in 1,105,659 Americans
Peak year
1916
66 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1972 SSA rank
#9,184
Tracked since 1886
Popularity
Noma: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Noma from the 1880s through to the 1970s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 461 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Noma 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 Noma during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nomas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri recorded the most babies named Noma, while Illinois, Alabama, Kentucky recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 49 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Noma
The name Noma has its origins in Japanese culture, deriving from the word "noma" which means "field" or "rural area." It is a relatively modern name, having gained popularity in the 20th century as a feminine given name.
In ancient Japanese literature, the word "noma" appears in various contexts, often referring to agricultural landscapes or the countryside. However, there are no direct historical references to its use as a personal name during that time period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of Noma as a given name can be found in the works of Japanese author and playwright, Noma Hiroshi (1915-1991). He was a prominent figure in the post-World War II literary scene and is considered a pioneer of the "modern colloquial" style of writing in Japanese literature.
Another notable bearer of the name is Noma Kazumasa (1916-2005), a renowned Japanese architect who was deeply influenced by traditional Japanese architectural styles and techniques. His works, such as the Motsu-ji Temple in Hiraizumi, have been widely recognized for their harmonious integration of modern and traditional elements.
In the field of art, Noma Seiroku (1904-1980) was a highly regarded Japanese painter and calligrapher. His works, particularly his ink paintings, were renowned for their simplicity and elegance, capturing the essence of Japanese aesthetics.
Moving to the culinary world, Noma René Redzepi (born 1978) is a celebrated Danish chef and co-owner of the acclaimed restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. While his given name is not of Japanese origin, it has helped bring international recognition to the name Noma.
Lastly, Noma Hiroshi (born 1976) is a contemporary Japanese author and screenwriter, known for his award-winning novels and adaptations for television and film. His works often explore themes of identity, family, and the complexities of modern Japanese society.
It is worth noting that while the name Noma has gained global recognition in recent years, its roots can be traced back to the Japanese language and its historical connection to the rural landscape and agricultural heritage of the country.
People
Noma + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Noma 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
Noma: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Noma?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 310 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Noma 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 1,105,659 US residents.
Is Noma a common name?
We classify Noma as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,895 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Noma most popular?
The single biggest year for Noma was 1916, when 66 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Noma is about 79 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Noma a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Noma 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.