Cem

JEM · One who is generous, a steward, or a cupbearer.

Peak popularity

2005

Usually for

Boys

Trend

Rising since 2022

Rising since 2022.

Popularity of Cem since 1982

Babies named Cem per year in U.S. Social Security records.

Data table (by decade)

Decade	Boys
1980s	10
1990s	40
2000s	35
2010s	19
2020s	5

Meaning & origin

Cem is a short, strong name of Turkish origin, derived from the Persian Jamshid. Though it has never entered the U.S. top 1000, it peaked in use in 2005 and has been on a rising trajectory since 2022. The name is well-known in Turkey and among Turkish diaspora communities, carrying historical weight from the Ottoman era.

Cem is a Turkish variant of the Arabic name Jam, which is a short form of Jamshid, an ancient Persian mythological king. In Turkish, Cem is also associated with the Ottoman poet Cem Sultan. The name carries connotations of generosity and nobility.

“Cem” around the world

Where Cem lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.

France
5
babies in 2024

Sources: INSEE (France).

Nicknames & variants

Variants: Jam, Jem

Sibling names for Cem

Names that share Cem's style, for a brother or sister.

Sisters: Aylin, Deniz, Ece, Leyla, Sibel, Arzu, Aysel, Dilara, Duru, Esmeray, Nejla, Yasemin

Brothers: Can, Eren, Kaan, Mert, Onur, Altan, Arslan, Aydin, Berk, Duran, Ekin, Evren, Hakan, Kagan, Kuzey, Levent, Murat, Orhan, Ozan, Reyhan, Senay, Teoman, Timur, Turhan, Ulas, Zekai

Questions parents ask

What does the name Cem mean?

Cem means 'generous' or 'steward' and is a Turkish variant of Jam.

How popular is the name Cem?

Cem has not ranked in the U.S. top 1000 in recent decades. It peaked in 2005 and has been rising in use since 2022.

Is Cem a boy's name?

Yes, Cem is almost exclusively used as a boy's name.