UK girl's name
Sema
A feminine Arabic name meaning "high" or "elevated".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sema is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sema popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 9 births.
This profile covers 107 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 106 living people in the UK are called Sema. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sema ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 9 girls were registered as Sema.
- • About 106 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sema as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2011
9 births
Estimated living
106
2026
Meaning
What does Sema mean?
The name Sema is believed to have its origins in ancient Mesopotamia, where it was derived from the Akkadian word "semu," meaning "to hear" or "to listen." This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with attentiveness, wisdom, or perhaps even the ability to understand and interpret messages from the divine realm.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sema can be found in cuneiform inscriptions from the city of Babylon, dating back to the 6th century BCE. These inscriptions mention a high priestess of the goddess Ishtar named Sema, indicating that the name held significance in religious and spiritual contexts during this period.
In ancient Greek mythology, there is a figure named Sema, who was a nymph associated with the goddess Hera. According to legend, Sema was entrusted with guarding the gates of the Underworld, which may have contributed to the name's association with concepts of guardianship, protection, and the realm of the dead.
Throughout history, the name Sema has been borne by numerous individuals, including Sema I, a queen of the Hittite Empire who ruled in the 16th century BCE. Another notable figure was Sema Qedoshim, a renowned Jewish scholar and mystic from the 13th century CE, who made significant contributions to the study of Kabbalah.
In the realm of literature, Sema is the name of a character in the epic poem "Shahnameh" by the Persian poet Ferdowsi, written in the late 10th century CE. This character is portrayed as a brave and virtuous warrior, further reinforcing the association of the name with strength and integrity.
Other notable individuals who bore the name Sema include Sema Kaygusuz (1904-1996), a Turkish author and feminist activist, and Sema Arkan (1943-1982), a renowned Turkish singer and actress celebrated for her contributions to the country's cultural heritage.
While the name Sema has roots in ancient civilizations and cultures, its enduring presence throughout history attests to its timeless quality and the rich tapestry of meanings and associations it has acquired over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sema over time
The chart below shows babies named Sema registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sema, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sema by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sema 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 | #5749 | 9 | 3 |
| 2010s | #3985 | 41 | 7 |
| 2000s | #3483 | 39 | 8 |
| 1990s | #3072 | 18 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Sema
- 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
Sema: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sema in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sema was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sema most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 9 babies registered as Sema in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sema?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "high" or "elevated".
How many people are called Sema in the UK?
A total of 107 babies have been registered as Sema across the 22 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.