Rising since 1985, #4,460 for girls today.
Popularity of Neema since 1972
Babies named Neema per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 52 | 7 |
| 1980s | 54 | 94 |
| 1990s | 61 | 119 |
| 2000s | 131 | 36 |
| 2010s | 280 | 0 |
| 2020s | 206 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Neema is a cross-cultural name with roots in Swahili, Arabic, and Hebrew, all converging on the meaning of grace or blessing. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1972 and has been steadily rising in use since the mid-1980s, though it remains relatively uncommon. Its peak popularity came in 2019, and as of 2025 it ranks 4,460th, given to roughly 1 in 51,847 girls. The name's gentle sound and uplifting meaning have contributed to its slow but consistent growth, making it a distinctive choice that carries resonant significance in multiple linguistic traditions.
Neema has multiple origins. In Swahili, it directly means 'grace' or 'blessing.' In Arabic, Nima (نعمة) carries the same meaning. It also appears as a feminine name in Hebrew, derived from No'om (נֹעַם), meaning 'pleasantness.' The name has been used across East Africa and among Arabic-speaking communities, and it gained some international exposure through the character Neema in Disney's The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998).
“Neema” around the world
Where Neema lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
15
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Nee, Nema, Nimi
Sibling names for Neema
Names that share Neema's style, for a brother or sister.
