Zemi
A unisex name originating from the Zapotec language, meaning 'cloud'.
Name Census estimates that about 27 living Americans carry the first name Zemi. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 74.1% of registrations being female. The average person named Zemi today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zemi births was 2022 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zemi. 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 Zemi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
27
~ 1 in 12,694,605 Americans
Peak year
2022
12 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2022 SSA rank
#10,844
Tracked since 2019
Gender
Gender distribution for Zemi
Zemi is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 27 total registrations, 7 (25.9%) were male and 20 (74.1%) were female.
Zemi as a male name
- Ranked #10,844 in 2022
- 7 male births in 2022
- Peak: 2022 (7 births)
Zemi as a female name
- Ranked #17,619 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2019 (5 births)
Popularity
Zemi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zemi from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 22 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zemi 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 Zemi 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 Zemi
The name Zemi is believed to have its origins in the indigenous Taíno language of the Caribbean, which was spoken by the Taíno people who inhabited the islands of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and northern Lesser Antilles prior to the arrival of Europeans in the late 15th century. The word "zemi" referred to the carved stone or wooden figurines that represented various deities and spirits worshipped by the Taíno people.
While the exact etymology of the name is unclear, it is thought to be derived from the Taíno word "cemí," which means "sacred" or "revered." This suggests that the name Zemi may have been associated with religious or spiritual significance in the Taíno culture.
The earliest recorded use of the name Zemi dates back to the late 15th century, when Spanish explorers and conquistadors encountered the Taíno people and documented their customs and beliefs. One notable figure in this regard was Fray Ramón Pané, a Catalan friar who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Pané wrote extensively about the Taíno religion and mentioned the "zemis" as sacred objects of worship.
In more recent times, the name Zemi has been adopted by individuals of various backgrounds, often as a way to pay tribute to the rich cultural heritage of the Caribbean region. For example, Zemi Zemi, born in 1940, is a renowned Haitian painter and sculptor whose works celebrate the vibrant colors and symbols of his native culture.
Another notable figure is Zemi Nawe, a Nigerian-born artist and activist who has used her art to raise awareness about social and environmental issues. Nawe, born in 1964, often incorporates traditional African motifs and symbols into her work, drawing inspiration from her cultural roots.
Zemi Cruz, born in 1991, is a Puerto Rican professional boxer who has held several regional and international titles. His name serves as a reminder of the enduring legacy of the Taíno people in the Caribbean.
Additionally, Zemi Houshmand, born in 1980, is an Iranian-American writer and artist whose work explores themes of identity, displacement, and cross-cultural experiences.
While the name Zemi is not as common as some other names, it has left an indelible mark on history, serving as a connection to the rich cultural heritage of the Caribbean and the legacy of the Taíno people. Its spiritual connotations and association with sacred objects make it a unique and meaningful choice for those seeking to honor their roots or embrace a sense of reverence for the natural world.
People
Zemi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zemi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zemi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zemi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 27 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zemi 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 12,694,605 US residents.
Is Zemi a common name?
We classify Zemi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 44.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 27 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zemi most popular?
The single biggest year for Zemi was 2022, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zemi is about 5 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 Zemi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zemi a female name?
Yes, 74.1% of people registered as Zemi 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 Zemi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zemi 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 Zemi 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 the name Zemi?
If you just want to know how many people share the name Zemi, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.