Declining since 2014, #7,194 for boys today.
Popularity of Alem since 1987
Babies named Alem per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2006, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Alem's real moment was 2015.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 12 |
| 2000s | 82 |
| 2010s | 105 |
| 2020s | 37 |
Meaning & origin
Alem is a rare and modern name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1987. Its peak popularity came in 2015, but since 2014 its usage has been declining. In 2025 it ranked 7,194, given to approximately 1 in 155,280 boys. The name's origins are unclear; it may be a variant of Alan or a short form of Ethiopian names like Alemayehu, meaning 'worldly'. As a modern coinage, Alem offers a fresh sound without strong historical associations. It has not been recorded prominently in any single state, and its use remains sparse across the country.
The name Alem has multiple potential origins. It may be a modern coinage or a variant of Alan, which is of debated Celtic origin. In Ethiopian (Amharic) context, Alem is a common element in names like Alemayehu, meaning 'I have seen the world' or 'worldly'. Its use in English-speaking countries is recent and likely influenced by African or Ethiopian naming traditions.
“Alem” around the world
Where Alem lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Alem
Names that share Alem's style, for a brother or sister.
