UK girl's name
Jema
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beauty" or "pearl".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2006. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jema is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Jema popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2006 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5061, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 7 births.
This profile covers 20 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1996 to 2006. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 20 living people in the UK are called Jema. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2007 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jema ranked #5061 for girls in England and Wales in 2006, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 7 girls were registered as Jema.
- • About 20 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jema as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5061
2006
Births in 2006
3
Latest year
Peak year
1998
7 births
Estimated living
20
2026
Meaning
What does Jema mean?
The name Jema is believed to have its origins in Arabic culture, where it was derived from the word "jama," meaning "to collect" or "to gather." This name was likely used in the Middle East region during the medieval period, around the 10th to 13th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jema can be found in ancient Islamic texts, where it was mentioned as the name of a female companion of the Prophet Muhammad. This reference suggests that the name was in use during the 7th century in the Arabian Peninsula.
In the 12th century, a famous Sufi mystic named Jema al-Din al-Sawi was born in modern-day Iran. He was known for his spiritual teachings and poetry, and his name, which translates to "the beauty of religion," likely incorporated the name Jema.
During the Ottoman Empire era, which spanned from the 13th to the early 20th century, the name Jema was relatively common among Muslim populations in regions such as modern-day Turkey, the Balkans, and parts of the Middle East. It was used for both males and females.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Jema Khan Arghun ruled over parts of what is now Afghanistan and Pakistan. He was a military commander and leader of the Arghun Dynasty, which played a significant role in the region's history.
Another historical figure with the name Jema was Jema Karadordevic, a Serbian noble who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a prominent military leader and played a crucial role in the Serbian Revolution against Ottoman rule.
It is important to note that while the name Jema has its roots in Arabic and Islamic culture, it has been adopted and used in various regions and contexts throughout history, sometimes with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jema over time
The chart below shows babies named Jema registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2006. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jema, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2006, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jema by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jema was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4418 | 10 | 3 |
| 1990s | #2980 | 10 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Jema
- Jessica 105,041
- Jasmine 35,227
- Jade 19,646
- Julia 11,780
- Jennifer 11,529
- Jodie 9,357
- Jemima 6,454
- Josephine 5,889
- Jessie 5,418
- Josie 5,284
- Jasmin 4,706
- Jenna 4,646
FAQ
Jema: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jema in the UK right now?
In 2006, Jema was ranked #5061 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Jema most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 7 babies registered as Jema in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jema?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beauty" or "pearl".
How many people are called Jema in the UK?
A total of 20 babies have been registered as Jema across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.