Total births
481
Boys' name · since 1974
Emeka
Emeka has 481 recorded births since 1974 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1991 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #8488
- among boys today
- 481
- born since 1974
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 41%
- more common than other boys
481 babies have been named Emeka since 1974, making it today's #8488 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Emeka recorded 481 times among boys since 1974, holding rank #8488 nationally today, ahead of 41% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1974 to 2025.
- #8488 among boys today
- 481 born since 1974
- 2000s peak decade
- 41% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Emeka is currently the #8488 boys' name in America, more common than 41% of boys - 481 born since 1974, peaking in the 2000s.
- #8488
- among boys today
- 481
- born since 1974
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 41%
- more common than other boys
Emeka vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8488
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 41% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Emeka was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
16 babies were named Emeka in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
How Emeka compares
481 Top 44% higher than 56% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Emeka's all-time total is 31% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Emeka | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 481 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 16 | 23 | 22,252 |
Emeka's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Emeka's SSA record in two at 2000 and the more recent half accounts for 52% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 48%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1976, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1991 peak of 16, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Emeka at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1991
Current rank
#8,488
Active since
1974
Emeka popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1974–2025
- Peak year (1991)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 52 years of records
Emeka popularity over time - girls
17 total births recorded since 1974 (Emeka as girls' name)
Emeka by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Emeka's strongest decade.
113 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Emeka births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 37
1970s
37 births
- 1980s
1980s
88 births
- 1990s
1990s
108 births
- 2000s
2000s
113 births
- 2010s
2010s
83 births
- 2020s
2020s
52 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 113 births (23% of all-time use).
Emeka by state
Where Emeka concentrates geographically, total births since 1974
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 1.0% |
California share of Emeka's total US births 1.0%
5 of 481 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Emeka? ▼
Since 1974, Social Security records show 481 babies named Emeka. Today it holds rank #8488 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1991, with 16 births.
When was Emeka most popular? ▼
Emeka was most popular in the 2000s decade with 113 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
Where is Emeka most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Emeka are California (5 births).
How long has the name Emeka been used? ▼
Records for Emeka go back to 1974, giving 52 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Emeka? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Emerson, Emery, Emerick, Emeric, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Emeka's data
- Emeka's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (113 total births) through the 2020s (52) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Emekas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Emeka
Nearby Names Like Emeka
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Emeka
Emerson Boy
#270 33,521 births
Emery Boy
#819 20,412 births
Emerick Boy
#3459 748 births
Emeric Boy
#2319 691 births
Emerald Boy
#4083 538 births
Compare Emeka side by side: Emeka vs Emerson Emeka vs Emery Emeka vs Emerick
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Emeka
Chukwuemeka #8487
683 births · Peak 2003
Nidal #8489
222 births · Peak 1993
Jacobe #8486
1,300 births · Peak 2007
Ryann #8490
761 births · Peak 1982
Chason #8485
1,249 births · Peak 2009
Charlemagne #8491
53 births · Peak 2024
Rashard #8484
2,712 births · Peak 1994
Cobie #8492
405 births · Peak 2001
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1974–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Emeka: #8488 Boys' Name - 481 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/emeka. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Emeka draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.