Simaya
A feminine name meaning "sublime, praiseworthy" in Sanskrit.
Name Census estimates that about 196 living Americans carry the first name Simaya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Simaya today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Simaya births was 2012 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Simaya. 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
196
~ 1 in 1,748,747 Americans
Peak year
2012
21 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#17,289
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Simaya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Simaya from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 90 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Simaya remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Simaya 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 Simaya 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 Simaya
The name Simaya is believed to have its origins in the Sanskrit language, which was the classical literary language of ancient India. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "shri-maya," which means "prosperous" or "auspicious." This name is associated with Hindu culture and tradition.
In Sanskrit literature, the name Simaya is mentioned in ancient texts such as the Vedas, which are considered the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. The name is often associated with goddesses and deities, symbolizing prosperity, wealth, and good fortune.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Simaya can be traced back to the 6th century BCE. During this time, a notable figure named Simaya was a renowned scholar and philosopher who contributed significantly to the field of linguistics and grammar.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Simaya:
1. Simaya Devi (1720-1790), an Indian queen and philanthropist who ruled the princely state of Malerkotla in present-day Punjab, India. She was known for her charitable works and patronage of education.
2. Simaya Swaminathan (1876-1950), an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement. She was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and fought for women's rights and education.
3. Simaya Kapoor (1923-2004), an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who was instrumental in popularizing the Bharatanatyam dance form. She received numerous awards and accolades for her contributions to the performing arts.
4. Simaya Bhatt (1945-2020), an Indian environmentalist and activist who dedicated her life to the conservation of the Himalayas and advocating for sustainable development.
5. Simaya Narayanan (1968-present), an Indian mathematician and academic who has made significant contributions to the field of algebraic geometry. She is a recipient of the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for her groundbreaking research.
The name Simaya has a rich cultural heritage and has been associated with various influential figures throughout history, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. Its Sanskrit roots and connection to prosperity and auspiciousness have made it a popular choice for parents seeking to bestow a meaningful and culturally significant name upon their children.
People
Simaya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Simaya as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Simaya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Simaya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 196 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Simaya 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 1,748,747 US residents.
Is Simaya a common name?
We classify Simaya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 198 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Simaya most popular?
The single biggest year for Simaya was 2012, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Simaya is about 15 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 Simaya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Simaya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Simaya 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 Simaya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Simaya 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 Simaya 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 Americans are named Simaya?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.