Unisex name · since 1942
Kem
Since 1942, U.S. Social Security records show 680 babies named Kem, peaking in 1956. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6,566 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 680
- born since 1942
- 1950s
- peak decade
Kem sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 680 recorded since 1942.
Kem has 680 recorded births among boys since 1942, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1942 to 2005.
- #6,566 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 680 born since 1942
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kem ranks #6,566 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 680 born since 1942, peaking in the 1950s.
- #6,566 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 680
- born since 1942
- 1950s
- peak decade
Kem's 680 recorded births place it above 85.55% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 5 jurisdictions, led by Indiana.
Kem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kem splits its recorded history at 1965: 27% of all births land in the more recent half, 73% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1976 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1956 peak of 65 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kem popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1942–2005
- Peak year (1956)
- 65
- Annual births at peak, across 64 years of records
Kem popularity over time - girls
353 total births recorded since 1952 (Kem as girls' name)
Kem by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (309 births, 45% of the file).
1950s was Kem's strongest decade.
309 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Kem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 45
1940s
45 births
- 1950s
1950s
309 births
- 1960s
1960s
227 births
- 1970s 55
1970s
55 births
- 1980s 28
1980s
28 births
- 1990s 10
1990s
10 births
- 2000s 6
2000s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 309 births (45% of all-time use).
How Kem compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Kem's total volume
Kem by state
Where Kem concentrates geographically, total births since 1942
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Indiana | | 12 | 1.8% |
| #2 | Missouri | | 6 | 0.9% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #4 | California | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #5 | Texas | | 5 | 0.7% |
12 of 680 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Kem's data
- Kem's decade-level peak was the 1950s (309 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Indiana records the most Kems (12 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Indiana names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kem
Nearby Names Like Kem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kem
Compare Kem side by side: Kem vs Kemper Kem vs Kemari Kem vs Kemp
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Kem: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1956)
Similar record span (~63 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1942–2005 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Kem 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 August 2026.