Zemora
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the first name Zemora. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zemora today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zemora births was 2019 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zemora. 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
126
~ 1 in 2,720,273 Americans
Peak year
2019
24 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#17,620
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Zemora: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zemora from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 81 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zemora remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zemora 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 Zemora 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 Zemora
The name Zemora has its origins in the ancient Semitic languages, originating from the root word "zmr" which means "to sing" or "to praise". It is believed to have emerged among the Aramaic-speaking communities of the Middle East during the late classical antiquity period, around the 3rd to 7th centuries AD.
The earliest known reference to the name Zemora can be found in the writings of the Syriac scholar Jacob of Serugh, who lived in the late 5th century AD. He mentioned a Christian martyr named Zemora in one of his homilies, describing her as a woman of great faith and courage who faced persecution for her beliefs.
In the following centuries, the name Zemora gained popularity among various Christian communities in the Middle East, particularly in Syria, Lebanon, and parts of modern-day Turkey. It was often associated with religious devotion and spiritual harmony, reflecting the name's melodious and praiseworthy connotations.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Zemora was a 9th-century Coptic Christian poet and hymnographer from Egypt. Her poetic works, which celebrated the lives of saints and martyrs, were widely circulated and admired within the Coptic Church.
Another individual of note was Zemora al-Dimashqi, a 12th-century female scholar and calligrapher from Damascus, Syria. She was renowned for her expertise in Arabic literature and her exquisite calligraphic works, which adorned numerous manuscripts and architectural inscriptions.
In the 14th century, a Zemora al-Baghdadi was recorded as a prominent female physician and scholar in the city of Baghdad, known for her contributions to the field of medicine and her expertise in the treatment of various ailments.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over the Middle East, a Zemora al-Halabi gained recognition as a skilled embroiderer and textile artist in the city of Aleppo, Syria. Her intricate and vibrant designs adorned the garments and textiles worn by the elite classes of the region.
Lastly, in the early 20th century, a Zemora Mikhail was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Lebanon. She established several schools for girls and championed the cause of female education, leaving a lasting impact on the region's educational and social landscapes.
People
Zemora + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zemora 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
Zemora: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zemora?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 126 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zemora 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 2,720,273 US residents.
Is Zemora a common name?
We classify Zemora as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 127 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zemora most popular?
The single biggest year for Zemora was 2019, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zemora is about 8 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 Zemora in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zemora a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zemora 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 Zemora still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zemora 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 Zemora 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 are named Zemora?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.