Zemira
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "song" or "melody".
Name Census estimates that about 784 living Americans carry the first name Zemira. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zemira today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zemira births was 2018 (99 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zemira. 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
784
~ 1 in 437,187 Americans
Peak year
2018
99 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,686
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Zemira: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zemira from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 469 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zemira remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zemira 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 Zemira during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zemiras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 11 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Zemira, while Washington, New Jersey, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 20 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zemira
The name Zemira has its origins in the Hebrew language, where it is derived from the word "zemer," which means "song" or "melody." This connection to music and poetry suggests that the name may have been associated with artistic and creative individuals in ancient times.
According to historical records, the name Zemira first appeared in the biblical text of the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Psalms, which contains many poetic and musical compositions. However, it is uncertain whether Zemira was an actual person mentioned in the text or if it was used as a symbolic representation of melody or song.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Zemira was Zemira ben Hayyim, a renowned Jewish philosopher and scholar who lived in the 11th century in Spain. He was known for his contributions to the fields of metaphysics and ethics, and his works were widely studied and respected during the Golden Age of Jewish culture in the Iberian Peninsula.
In the 16th century, Zemira Gabrielli was an Italian singer and composer who gained considerable fame during the Renaissance period. She was a member of the celebrated Gabrielli family of musicians and was praised for her exceptional vocal talents and her contributions to the development of early opera.
Another notable figure bearing the name Zemira was Zemira Mitchell, an American writer and activist who lived from 1857 to 1923. She was a prominent figure in the Women's Christian Temperance Union and was an advocate for social reforms, particularly in the areas of women's rights and temperance.
In the realm of literature, Zemira Avitur was an Israeli poet and writer who lived from 1923 to 2004. She was known for her innovative and evocative poetry, which explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her works were widely acclaimed and earned her numerous literary awards and honors.
Lastly, Zemira Arslanian was an Armenian-American artist and sculptor who lived from 1922 to 2005. She was renowned for her abstract and figurative works, which often explored themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the human form. Her sculptures and installations were exhibited in numerous galleries and museums around the world, cementing her reputation as a significant figure in contemporary art.
People
Zemira + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zemira 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
Zemira: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zemira?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 784 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zemira 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 437,187 US residents.
Is Zemira a common name?
We classify Zemira as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 790 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zemira most popular?
The single biggest year for Zemira was 2018, when 99 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zemira is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zemira a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zemira 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.