UK girl's name
Rema
An Indian feminine name meaning "beautiful woman".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Rema is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rema popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4709, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 9 births.
This profile covers 56 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. 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 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 56 living people in the UK are called Rema. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rema ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 9 girls were registered as Rema.
- • About 56 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rema as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4709
2023
Births in 2023
4
Latest year
Peak year
1996
9 births
Estimated living
56
2026
Meaning
What does Rema mean?
The name Rema has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that is the root of many modern languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. Rema is derived from the Sanskrit word "reman," which means "joy" or "delight." This name was popular in ancient India during the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rema can be found in the ancient Hindu epic, the Ramayana. In this epic, Rema is a minor character, a princess who marries the hero, Rama. While not a central figure, her name's inclusion in this important text indicates its use and significance in ancient Indian culture.
In the 7th century CE, there was a notable Indian philosopher and scholar named Rema Bhatta, who wrote extensively on the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. His works, such as the "Vedanta-Tattva-Viveka," had a significant impact on the development of Indian philosophical thought.
Moving forward in history, Rema was also the name of a 13th-century Sufi poet and mystic from present-day Iran. Known as Rema Qalandar, he is revered in the Sufi tradition for his devotional poetry and spiritual teachings.
In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the name Rema was Rema Rahman, a Bangladeshi artist and activist born in 1962. Rahman was known for her vibrant paintings and her advocacy for women's rights and social justice in Bangladesh.
Another notable figure was Rema Hort Mann, an American actress and director born in 1920. She was best known for her work on Broadway, where she directed several successful productions, including the original Broadway run of "The Miracle Worker" in 1959.
While the name Rema may not be as widely used today as it once was, its rich history and cultural significance, spanning from ancient India to the modern era, make it a name with a deep and fascinating heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rema over time
The chart below shows babies named Rema registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rema, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rema by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rema 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5189 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4736 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3966 | 19 | 5 |
| 1990s | #2410 | 26 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Rema
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
FAQ
Rema: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rema in the UK right now?
In 2023, Rema was ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Rema most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 9 babies registered as Rema in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rema?
An Indian feminine name meaning "beautiful woman".
How many people are called Rema in the UK?
A total of 56 babies have been registered as Rema across the 12 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.