Yama
Yama, also known as Kāla and Dharmarāja, is the Hindu god of death and justice, responsible for the dispensation of law and punishment of sinners in his abode, Naraka. He is often identified with Dharmadeva, the personification of Dharma, though the two deities have different origins and myths.
Meaning & Origin of Yama
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Yama, also known as Kāla and Dharmarāja, is the Hindu god of death and justice, responsible for the dispensation of law and punishment of sinners in his abode, Naraka. He is often identified with Dharmadeva, the personification of Dharma, though the two deities have different origins and myths.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Yama
Yama first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1989, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1991, when 9 Yamas were born — ranking #5,519 that year. As of 2026, Yama ranks #9,821 for baby boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 73 Yamas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Yama
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yama 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 Yama
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About the name Yama
Yama is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1989 and has accumulated 73 births in the dataset. Yama's peak popularity came in 1991 when it ranked #5,519. Use the chart and map above to compare Yama's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1991 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "Y" →
- Browse all boy 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.