Girl · #12,446 in 2026

Belem

Belém, often called Belém of Pará, is the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the north of Brazil. It is the gateway to the Amazon River with a busy port, airport, and bus/coach station.

Current Rank
#12,446
Peak Rank
#5,424 (1999)
Total Babies
296
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1951
First Year
2019
Last Year
1999
Peak Year
#5424
Peak Rank
296
Total Count
33
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Belem

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Belém, often called Belém of Pará, is the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the north of Brazil. It is the gateway to the Amazon River with a busy port, airport, and bus/coach station.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The name Belém is the Portuguese version of English Bethlehem , ultimately from Hebrew בֵּית לֶחֶם (bēṯ lɛ́ḥɛm, literally “house of bread”). Originally, the city was named "Santa Maria de Belém do Pará" (Saint Mary of Bethlehem in Pará) or "Nossa Senhora de Belém do Grão-Pará (Our Lady of Bethlehem of Grão-Pará). This was eventually abbreviated to "Belém do Pará."
Origin & history
See also: Timeline of Belém and History of Belém Conquest of the Amazon by Antônio Parreiras , Pará History Museum. {{flagicon image|Flag United Kingdom Portugal Brazil Algarves.svg|border}} [[United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves]] 1815–1823<br/>{{flag|Empire of Brazil}} 1823–1889<br/>{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Brazil|Republic of Brazil]] 1889–present"}},"i":0}}]}' id="mwbA"> .mw-parser-output .quotebox{background-color:#F9F9F9;border:1px solid #aaa;box-sizing:border-box;padding:10px;font-size:88%;max-width:100%}.mw-parser-output .quotebox.floatleft{margin:.5em 1.4em .8em 0}.mw-parser-o

The Story of Belem

Belem first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1951, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1999, when 19 Belems were born — ranking #5,424 that year. As of 2026, Belem ranks #12,446 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 296 Belems have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
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WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
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IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
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MO
KY
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MD
DE
DC
UT
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Top 10
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No data

Notable people named Belem

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Hélio Gracie – martial artist
  • Guilherme Paraense — Olympic medalist
  • Rogério Ferreira – beach volleyball player, World Champion
  • Myke Carvalho — brazilian boxer
  • Marcos Gueiros — Brazilian racing driver, three-time champion of the Formula 3
  • Beto Gonçalves — footballer
  • Dira Paes — actress
  • Fafá de Belém — singer

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Belem

Phonetically similar names — useful when Belem is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Belem

What does the name Belem mean?
Belém, often called Belém of Pará, is the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the north of Brazil. It is the gateway to the Amazon River with a busy port, airport, and bus/coach station.
How popular is Belem in 2026?
In 2026, Belem ranks #12,446 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.
When was Belem most popular?
Belem reached its peak popularity in 1999, ranking #5,424 that year with 19 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Belem most popular?
Belem has historically been most popular in California, Texas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Belem.
Is Belem a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Belem is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Belem?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Belem include Marixa, Keshauna, Kateria. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Marixa
Peak #5424
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Keshauna
Peak #5424
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Kateria
Peak #5424
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Antoria
Peak #5424
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Swathi
Peak #5424
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Shyana
Peak #5424
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Caytlin
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Preciosa
Peak #5424

About the name Belem

Belem is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1951 and has accumulated 296 births in the dataset. Belem's peak popularity came in 1999 when it ranked #5,424. Use the chart and map above to compare Belem's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.