Umekia
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly Arabic or Latin.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Umekia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Umekia today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Umekia births was 1973 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Umekia. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Umekia. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1973
10 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
1973 SSA rank
#5,562
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Umekia: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Umekia 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 Umekia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 15 | 15 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Umekia
The given name Umekia has its roots in the ancient language of Sumerian, which was spoken in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) as early as the 4th millennium BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Sumerian words "ume" meaning "noble" and "kia" meaning "earth" or "land," suggesting a possible meaning of "noble land" or "noble earth."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Umekia can be found in a cuneiform tablet dated around 2500 BCE, which mentions a priestess by that name serving in the temple of the goddess Inanna in the city of Uruk. This provides evidence that the name was in use during the Early Dynastic Period of Sumer.
In later Mesopotamian civilizations, such as the Akkadian and Babylonian empires, variations of the name appeared, including Umekiya and Umekiya-tu. These variations suggest that the name continued to be used and adapted over time.
One notable figure in history who bore the name Umekia was a Sumerian scribe and scholar who lived around 2200 BCE. She is credited with compiling one of the earliest known dictionaries, which contained Sumerian words and their translations into the Akkadian language.
Another historical figure with the name Umekia was a Babylonian priestess who served in the temple of the god Marduk in the city of Babylon during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BCE). She was known for her expertise in astrology and her ability to interpret celestial omens.
In the 1st century CE, there was a Jewish scholar named Umekia ben Yehuda who lived in Palestine during the Roman period. He is known for his work in compiling and interpreting the Mishnah, a collection of Jewish oral traditions.
During the Middle Ages, a woman named Umekia al-Andalusiyya was a renowned poet and scholar in the Andalusian region of Spain (modern-day Andalusia). She was celebrated for her mastery of Arabic poetry and her contributions to the literary and intellectual life of the era.
In the 16th century, an Italian noblewoman named Umekia Borgia was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of Renaissance artists and writers. She was a member of the powerful Borgia family and was influential in the cultural circles of Rome.
It is worth noting that while the name Umekia has ancient origins and has been documented throughout various historical periods, it is not a commonly used name in modern times. However, its rich history and linguistic roots make it a unique and intriguing name with a connection to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia.
People
Umekia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Umekia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with U
Other first names starting with U with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Umekia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Umekia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Umekia 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Umekia a common name?
We classify Umekia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Umekia most popular?
The single biggest year for Umekia was 1973, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Umekia is about 55 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 Umekia in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Umekia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Umekia 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 Umekia still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Umekia 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 Umekia 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 people have Umekia as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.