Total births
225
Unisex name · since 2001
Pema
225 babies named Pema in U.S. Social Security records since 2001, with the highest year being 2014. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #9964
- among girls today
- 225
- born since 2001
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 44%
- more common than other girls
225 babies have been named Pema since 2001, making it today's #9964 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Pema has been recorded 225 times among girls since 2001, currently ranked #9964 nationally and more common than 44% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 2001 to 2024.
- #9964 among girls today
- 225 born since 2001
- 2010s peak decade
- 44% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Pema is currently the #9964 unisex name in America, more common than 44% of girls - 225 born since 2001, peaking in the 2010s.
- #9964
- among girls today
- 225
- born since 2001
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 44%
- more common than other girls
Pema vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#9964
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 44% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
49% of everyone ever named Pema was born in this single decade.
2014
Single peak year
15 babies were named Pema in 2014 - its busiest year on record.
How Pema compares
225 39th percentile among 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Pema's all-time total is 41% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Pema | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 225 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 15 | 48 | 19,840 |
Pema's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Pema's SSA record in two at 2013 and the more recent half accounts for 62% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 38%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 2001, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2014 peak of 15, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Pema at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2014
Current rank
#9,964
Active since
2001
Pema popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 2001–2024
- Peak year (2014)
- 15
- Annual births at peak, across 24 years of records
Pema popularity over time - boys
12 total births recorded since 2017 (Pema as boys' name)
Pema by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Pema's strongest decade.
110 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 49% of all-time use.
Pema births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 2000s
2000s
60 births
- 2010s
2010s
110 births
- 2020s
2020s
55 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 110 births (49% of all-time use).
Pema by state
Where Pema concentrates geographically, total births since 2001
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 17 | 7.6% |
| #2 | California | | 6 | 2.7% |
New York share of Pema's total US births 7.6%
Even split
17 of 225 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Pema? ▼
225 babies have been named Pema since 2001. It currently ranks #9964 among girls. The peak year was 2014 with 15 births.
When was Pema most popular? ▼
Pema was most popular in the 2010s decade with 110 total births. The single peak year was 2014.
Where is Pema most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Pema are New York (17 births), California (6 births).
Is Pema a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Pema is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 225 births, and as a boy's name it has 12 births.
How long has the name Pema been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Pema since 2001 -- 24 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Pema? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Pemberley, Pemela. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Pema's data
- Pema's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (110 total births) through the 2020s (55) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Pemas (17 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Pema
Nearby Names Like Pema
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pema
Compare Pema side by side: Pema vs Pemberley Pema vs Pemela
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Pema
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, 2001–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Pema: #9964 Unisex Name - 225 Births, Peak 2014." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/pema. 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 Pema 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.