Jama
Jama is a common Somali male name. The name is usually given to boys born on the blessed Islamic day of Friday (jumu’ah).
Meaning & Origin of Jama
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jama is a common Somali male name. The name is usually given to boys born on the blessed Islamic day of Friday (jumu’ah).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Jama
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Jama as a girl name dates back to 1918, when 5 babies received it. 1961 was its biggest year on record, with 54 newborns named Jama — #1,533 in the national rankings. About 28% of every Jama on record arrived during the 1960s, its defining decade. Jama last appeared in the published SSA data in 2005, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Jama as a boy name dates back to 1976, when 7 babies received it. 2017 was its biggest year on record, with 9 newborns named Jama — #8,137 in the national rankings. About 39% of every Jama on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. Jama last appeared in the published SSA data in 2022, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 101 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Jama
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jama 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 Jama
What does the name Jama mean?
How popular is Jama in 2026?
When was Jama most popular?
In which U.S. states is Jama most popular?
Is Jama a unisex name?
What names go well with Jama?
About the name Jama
Jama is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1918 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Jama's peak popularity came in 1961 when it ranked #1,533. Use the chart and map above to compare Jama's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1961 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- 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.