Nemesis
Nemesis is a name with a single cultural origin: Greek Mythology.
- Greek Mythology
Meaning & Origin of Nemesis
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nemesis is a name with a single cultural origin: Greek Mythology.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Greek Mythology
The Story of Nemesis
American parents first put Nemesis on the record books as a baby girl name in 1979, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1996, when 14 Nemesiss were born — ranking #6,392 that year. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 51% of all recorded Nemesiss. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 166 Nemesiss 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 Nemesis
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nemesis is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Nemeses
- Mimesis
- Nemesia
- Menaces
- Mimosas
- Noesis
- Emesis
- Nexis
- Chemosis
- Nimbuses
- Minuses
- Inss
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nemesis
What does the name Nemesis mean?
What is the origin of the name Nemesis?
How popular is Nemesis in 2026?
When was Nemesis most popular?
In which U.S. states is Nemesis most popular?
Is Nemesis a unisex name?
What names go well with Nemesis?
About the name Nemesis
Nemesis is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1979 and has accumulated 166 births in the dataset. Nemesis's peak popularity came in 1996 when it ranked #6,392. Use the chart and map above to compare Nemesis's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1996 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.