Holding steady.
Popularity of Sem since 1982
Babies named Sem per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 22 |
| 1990s | 41 |
| 2000s | 78 |
| 2010s | 53 |
| 2020s | 21 |
Meaning & origin
Sem is a concise, two-letter name that has seen consistent but minimal usage in the United States since first recorded in 1982. Its peak year was 2006, but even then its rarity placed it outside the ranked top 1000 names. The name's stable trajectory over decades suggests a steady, if very small, number of families choosing it each year. While its etymological roots are debated, the most common associations are with the biblical figure Shem (the Dutch form) or as a diminutive of Samuel. In the Netherlands, however, Sem enjoys far greater popularity, ranking among the top names for boys in the 2010s. For American parents, the name offers a cross-cultural simplicity and a strong but soft sound, though it remains far more common in European contexts.
Sem is a name with multiple possible origins. In the context of the Bible, Sem is the Dutch and Scandinavian form of Shem, the eldest son of Noah, derived from the Hebrew word for 'name' or 'renown.' As a Dutch given name, it is often a short form of Samuel, meaning 'God has heard' in Hebrew. The name has been used in the Netherlands since at least the Middle Ages and gained modest popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
“Sem” around the world
Where Sem lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
25
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Shem
Sibling names for Sem
Names that share Sem's style, for a brother or sister.
