Yemaya
Yemọja is a major water deity in the Yoruba religion. She is an oriṣa, and the patron spirit of rivers, particularly the Ogun River in Nigeria, and of oceans in Cuban and Brazilian Orisha religions.
- Afro-American Mythology
Meaning & Origin of Yemaya
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Yemọja is a major water deity in the Yoruba religion. She is an oriṣa, and the patron spirit of rivers, particularly the Ogun River in Nigeria, and of oceans in Cuban and Brazilian Orisha religions.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Afro-American Mythology
The Story of Yemaya
Yemaya first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1991, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2023: 57 births, good for #2,933 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 60% of all recorded Yemayas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,263 among baby girl names with 49 births, rising sharply (+51% over the past five years). In total, more than 559 Yemayas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Yemaya
Phonetically similar names — useful when Yemaya 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 Yemaya
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About the name Yemaya
Yemaya is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1991 and has accumulated 559 births in the dataset. Yemaya's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #2,933. Use the chart and map above to compare Yemaya's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
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- 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.