Nehemiah
From Hebrew נְחֶמְיָה (“consolation of Yahweh”).
Every Nehemiah since 1886 — 22,439 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nehemiah
Nehemiah is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #429 in 2025 with 743 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1886, 22,439 American babies have been named Nehemiah. Its peak came in 2010, when 969 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nehemiah stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nehemiah year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #5,189 | 743 | #429 |
| 2024 | 15 | #7,496 | 742 | #426 |
| 2023 | 20 | #6,106 | 725 | #430 |
| 2022 | 35 | #4,178 | 697 | #447 |
| 2021 | 29 | #4,702 | 765 | #406 |
| 2020 | 22 | #5,611 | 820 | #377 |
| 2019 | 19 | #6,356 | 863 | #370 |
| 2018 | 24 | #5,415 | 803 | #396 |
| 2017 | 28 | #4,895 | 895 | #370 |
| 2016 | 24 | #5,563 | 930 | #358 |
| 2015 | 21 | #6,188 | 909 | #362 |
| 2014 | 33 | #4,425 | 889 | #360 |
| 2013 | 29 | #4,849 | 931 | #343 |
| 2012 | 27 | #5,209 | 906 | #342 |
| 2011 | 25 | #5,496 | 867 | #348 |
| 2010 | 36 | #4,160 | 933 | #336 |
| 2009 | 20 | #6,742 | 853 | #360 |
| 2008 | 23 | #6,089 | 871 | #358 |
| 2007 | 15 | #8,415 | 876 | #362 |
| 2006 | 25 | #5,504 | 826 | #360 |
| 2005 | 22 | #5,738 | 545 | #466 |
| 2004 | 21 | #5,909 | 385 | #580 |
| 2003 | 27 | #4,779 | 355 | #600 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,339 | 288 | #654 |
| 2001 | 21 | #5,506 | 263 | #687 |
| 2000 | 13 | #7,911 | 254 | #696 |
| 1995 | — | — | 113 | #1,059 |
| 1990 | — | — | 71 | #1,324 |
| 1985 | — | — | 75 | #1,076 |
| 1980 | — | — | 59 | #1,198 |
| 1975 | — | — | 25 | #1,926 |
| 1970 | — | — | 16 | #2,376 |
| 1965 | — | — | 6 | #3,809 |
| 1960 | — | — | 14 | #2,282 |
| 1955 | — | — | 17 | #1,952 |
| 1950 | — | — | 11 | #2,399 |
| 1945 | — | — | 9 | #2,524 |
| 1940 | — | — | 9 | #2,620 |
| 1935 | — | — | 5 | #4,008 |
| 1930 | — | — | 11 | #2,561 |
| 1925 | — | — | 20 | #1,783 |
| 1920 | — | — | 26 | #1,488 |
| 1915 | — | — | 12 | #2,260 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Nehemiah
- Nehemiah Religious figure · b. -490
- Nehemiah Grew Biologist · 1641–1712
- Nehemiah Persoff Actor · b. 1919
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nehemiah mean?
From Hebrew נְחֶמְיָה (“consolation of Yahweh”).
How popular is the name Nehemiah in 2025?
Nehemiah ranked #429 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 743 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nehemiah?
22,439 babies have been named Nehemiah in the United States since 1886, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nehemiah most popular?
Nehemiah peaked in 2010, when 969 newborns received the name.
Is Nehemiah a boy or girl name?
Nehemiah is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 97% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nehemiah rising or falling?
Nehemiah has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Nehemiah?
Well-known people named Nehemiah include Nehemiah (religious figure), Nehemiah Grew (biologist), Nehemiah Persoff (actor).