Boys' name · since 1982
Sem
Since 1982, U.S. Social Security records show 215 babies named Sem, peaking in 2006. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12,516 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 215
- born since 1982
- 2000s
- peak decade
215 boys have been named Sem since 1982, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Sem recorded 215 times among boys since 1982, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, 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 1982 to 2024.
- #12,516 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 215 born since 1982
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sem ranks #12,516 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 215 born since 1982, peaking in the 2000s.
- #12,516 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 215
- born since 1982
- 2000s
- peak decade
Sem's 215 recorded births place it above 72.47% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Sem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Sem splits its recorded history at 2004: 56% of all births land in the more recent half, 44% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1988 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2006 peak of 12 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Sem popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1982–2024
- Peak year (2006)
- 12
- Annual births at peak, across 43 years of records
Sem by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (78 births, 36% of the file).
2000s was Sem's strongest decade.
78 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Sem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 22
1980s
22 births
- 1990s
1990s
41 births
- 2000s
2000s
78 births
- 2010s
2010s
53 births
- 2020s 21
2020s
21 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 78 births (36% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sem? ▼
Where does Sem sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Sem most popular? ▼
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What to do with Sem's data
- Sem's decade-level peak was the 2000s (78 total births); usage has since declined to 21 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Sem
Nearby Names Like Sem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sem
Compare Sem side by side: Sem vs Semaj Sem vs Semir Sem vs Semisi
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Sem: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2006)
Similar record span (~42 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, 1982–2024 (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 Sem 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.