Nyema
An invented name possibly of West African origin, meaning unknown.
Name Census estimates that about 652 living Americans carry the first name Nyema. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nyema today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nyema births was 2006 (50 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nyema. 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
652
~ 1 in 525,697 Americans
Peak year
2006
50 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,037
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Nyema: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nyema 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 260 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
Nyema 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 Nyema during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nyemas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. New York, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Nyema, while Texas, Ohio, Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nyema
The name Nyema has its origins in the Akan language spoken in Ghana and other parts of West Africa. It is derived from the Akan word "nyam," which means "grace" or "favor." The name can be traced back several centuries, with its earliest known use in the region during the medieval period.
In the 16th century, the name Nyema was mentioned in historical records kept by European traders and missionaries who visited the coastal regions of present-day Ghana. These accounts provide some of the earliest written evidence of the name's existence and its cultural significance among the Akan people.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Nyema was a prominent Akan leader and diplomat in the 17th century. Known as Nyema Akroma, she played a crucial role in facilitating trade relations between the Akan kingdoms and the Portuguese merchants operating along the Gold Coast.
In the 18th century, a renowned Akan healer and herbalist named Nyema Opoku gained widespread recognition for her vast knowledge of traditional medicine. Her contributions to the preservation of indigenous healing practices were well-documented by European scholars of the time.
During the 19th century, a notable figure named Nyema Agyeman emerged as a respected elder and storyteller within the Akan community. Her oral traditions and folktales, which often featured the name Nyema as a central character, helped to perpetuate the cultural significance of the name.
Another prominent individual with the name Nyema was a 20th-century Ghanaian writer and educator, Nyema Nkrumah (1909-1999). She played a pivotal role in promoting literacy and education among women in her country and authored several books and articles on Akan culture and traditions.
Throughout history, the name Nyema has been associated with grace, favor, and cultural significance among the Akan people of West Africa. Its enduring presence in various historical accounts and records highlights its deep-rooted origins and the rich cultural heritage it represents.
People
Nyema + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nyema 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
Nyema: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nyema?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 652 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nyema 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 525,697 US residents.
Is Nyema a common name?
We classify Nyema as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 667 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nyema most popular?
The single biggest year for Nyema was 2006, when 50 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nyema is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nyema a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nyema 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.