UK girl's name
Seema
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "the horizon" or "boundary".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Seema is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Seema popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3899, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 16 births.
This profile covers 154 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1996 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 31% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 156 living people in the UK are called Seema. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Seema ranked #3899 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 16 girls were registered as Seema.
- • Seema ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #565 in 1986.
- • About 156 living people in the UK are estimated to have Seema as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3899
2020
Births in 2020
5
Latest year
Peak year
1996
16 births
Estimated living
156
2026
Meaning
What does Seema mean?
The name Seema is derived from the Sanskrit language, originating from ancient India. It is believed to have roots dating back to the Vedic period, around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. The name Seema holds a poetic and symbolic meaning, often interpreted as "the boundary" or "the limit."
In ancient Sanskrit texts, the word "seema" was used to refer to the lines or boundaries that demarcated territories, fields, or sacred spaces. This concept held significant importance in Vedic rituals and customs, where boundaries were revered and their sanctity was upheld.
One of the earliest known references to the name Seema can be found in the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata. In this vast literary work, there are mentions of a character named Seema, though her role and significance remain uncertain.
Throughout history, the name Seema has been borne by several notable figures. One of the most prominent was Seema Verma, an Indian-American health policy consultant and government official. She served as the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from 2017 to 2021.
Another renowned individual with the name Seema was Seema Mustafa, an Indian journalist and political commentator. She is the founder and editor of The Citizen, an online news platform known for its investigative journalism and independent reporting.
In the realm of literature, Seema Purevdorj is a celebrated Mongolian writer and poet. Her works have been widely acclaimed for their vivid portrayal of Mongolian culture and traditions.
The name Seema has also graced the world of sports. Seema Antil is a former Indian discus thrower who competed in multiple Olympic Games and won numerous medals at international events, including a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Seema Biswas, an Indian actress, has made a significant impact in both Indian and international cinema. She is renowned for her powerful performances in films such as Bandit Queen, Khamoshi: The Musical, and Water, among others.
While the name Seema has its roots in ancient Sanskrit, it has transcended cultural and geographical boundaries, finding resonance in various parts of the world, particularly in South Asia and among the Indian diaspora.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Seema over time
The chart below shows babies named Seema registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Seema, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2020, compared with 16 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Seema by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Seema 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 | #3899 | 5 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5036 | 24 | 6 |
| 2000s | #2728 | 68 | 9 |
| 1990s | #1299 | 57 | 4 |
Geography
Where Seema is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Seema. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Seema ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #565 in 1986.
Across the UK
Seema in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#565 in 1986
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Seema
-
Seema Jaswal
video jockey
British television and radio presenter
1985-
-
Seema Yasmin
writer; physician; journalist; science communicator
British writer, science communicator and medical doctor
1982-
-
Seema Bowri
actor
British actor
1976-
-
Seema Kennedy
politician
British politician (born 1974)
1974-
-
Seema Malhotra
politician
British politician (born 1972)
1972-
Related
Names similar to Seema
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Seema: questions and answers
How popular is the name Seema in the UK right now?
In 2020, Seema was ranked #3899 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Seema most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 16 babies registered as Seema in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Seema?
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "the horizon" or "boundary".
How many people are called Seema in the UK?
A total of 154 babies have been registered as Seema across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Seema most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Seema ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #565 in 1986. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.