Chea
Chea is a surname in various cultures.
- Khmer
Meaning & Origin of Chea
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Chea is a surname in various cultures.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Khmer
The Story of Chea
As a girl name
American parents first put Chea on the record books as a girl name in 1971, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1987, when 8 Cheas were born — ranking #7,987 that year. About 41% of every Chea on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. Chea last appeared in the published SSA data in 2004, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 80 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Chea first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1977, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1977: 5 births, good for #5,844 nationwide. About 33% of every Chea on record arrived during the 1970s, its defining decade. Chea last appeared in the published SSA data in 1995, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 15 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Chea
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- ): Chea Soth (1928–2012), Cambodian politician, MP for Prey Veng Province
- Chea Sim (1932–2015), Cambodian politician, President of the National Assembly (1981–1998)
- Veasna Chea Leth (born 1944), Cambodian lawyer
- Chea Vannath (born 1948), Cambodian anti-corruption activist and translator
- Chea Sophara (born 1953), Cambodian politician, Minister of Rural Development (2008–2016)
- Chea Vichea (1968–2004), Cambodian trade unionist
- Chea Poch (born 1974), Cambodian politician, MP for Prey Veng Province
- Chea Serey (born 1981), Cambodian economist
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Chea
Phonetically similar names — useful when Chea 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 Chea
What does the name Chea mean?
What is the origin of the name Chea?
How popular is Chea in 2026?
When was Chea most popular?
Is Chea a unisex name?
What names go well with Chea?
About the name Chea
Chea is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 80 births in the dataset. Chea's peak popularity came in 1987 when it ranked #7,987. Use the chart and map above to compare Chea's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1987 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.