Boy · #2,821 in 2026

Flem

Name: Popularity of the name Flem in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Flem, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Phlegm is mucus produced by the respiratory system, excluding that produced by the throat and nose passages. It often refers to respiratory mucus expelled by coughing, otherwise known as sputum. Phlegm, and mucus as a whole, is in essence a water-based gel consisting of glycoproteins, immunoglobulins, lipids and other substances.

Current Rank

#2,821

Peak Rank

#2,034 (1927)

Total Babies

244

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1880

First Year

1957

Last Year

1927

Peak Year

#2034

Peak Rank

244

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Flem

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

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

The Story of Flem

Flem first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1927, when 16 Flems were born — ranking #2,034 that year. As of 2026, Flem ranks #2,821 for baby boys with 9 births, with steady use. In total, more than 244 Flems have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Flem

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

Phlegm
Flegm
Fleme
Flim
Phlem
Flum
Pflum
Phleme
Flame
Flam
Flume
Phloem

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Flem

What does the name Flem mean?

How popular is Flem in 2026?

In 2026, Flem ranks #2,821 among boys' names in the U.S., with 9 babies given the name that year.

When was Flem most popular?

Flem reached its peak popularity in 1927, ranking #2,034 that year with 16 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Flem most popular?

Flem has historically been most popular in Kentucky. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Flem.

Is Flem a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Flem is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Flem?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Flem include Letcher, Selden, Eural. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Flem

Flem is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 244 births in the dataset. Flem's peak popularity came in 1927 when it ranked #2,034. Use the chart and map above to compare Flem'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.