Find out how popular the first name Shemaiah has been for the last 45 years (from 1979 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Shemaiah by gender

Based on the last 45 years of data, Shemaiah is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 96% of people named Shemaiah being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 6 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Shemaiah.

The history of the first name Shemaiah

The name Shemaiah has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew words "shama" meaning "to hear" and "Yah" which is a shortened form of the name of the Hebrew God, Yahweh. The name can be translated to mean "the Lord has heard" or "the Lord hears."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shemaiah can be found in the Hebrew Bible, where it appears as the name of several individuals. In the Book of Ezra, Shemaiah is mentioned as a prophet who warned the Israelites against intermarrying with non-Israelites. In the Book of Nehemiah, Shemaiah is described as a false prophet who tries to persuade Nehemiah to hide in the temple to avoid harm.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shemaiah. One of the earliest was Shemaiah ben Delaiah, a priest who lived during the reign of King David in the 10th century BCE. Another was Shemaiah the Nehelamite, who was one of the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin during the time of King David.

In the Middle Ages, Shemaiah ben Paltiel Gaon was a prominent Jewish scholar and head of the Pumbedita Academy in Babylon in the 9th century CE. He was known for his contributions to Jewish law and literature.

In more recent times, Shemaiah Zalmanov was a Russian-born Jewish educator and rabbi who lived in the 19th century. He was instrumental in establishing Jewish schools and educational institutions in Russia and Ukraine.

Another notable figure was Shemaiah Yosef Novogrodzki, a Polish-born rabbi and Talmudic scholar who lived in the 16th century. He was renowned for his expertise in Jewish law and his commentaries on the Talmud.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the name Shemaiah, which has its roots in the ancient Hebrew language and culture.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Shemaiah was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shemaiah, please contact us.

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