Neema
Neema is a name with a single cultural origin: Swahili.
- Swahili
Meaning & Origin of Neema
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Neema is a name with a single cultural origin: Swahili.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swahili
The Story of Neema
As a girl name
Neema first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1972, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2019: 47 births, good for #3,334 nationwide. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 34% of all recorded Neemas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,306 among girl names with 33 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 819 Neemas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Neema on the record books as a boy name in 1977, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1999, when 18 Neemas were born — ranking #3,984 that year. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 46% of all recorded Neemas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2005 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 256 Neemas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Neema
Phonetically similar names — useful when Neema 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 Neema
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Is Neema a unisex name?
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About the name Neema
Neema is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1972 and has accumulated 819 births in the dataset. Neema's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #3,334. Use the chart and map above to compare Neema's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2019 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- 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.