Gemma
Girl name · #170 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Gemma? In official American birth records, Gemma has been tracked continuously since 1904, giving it 121 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,805 baby girls were named Gemma, placing it at #170 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #269, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 997 girls born in 2025 was named Gemma.
Babies named Gemma per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 121-year story
Gemma first appears in the Social Security records in 1904, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 1,805 babies and a rank of #170. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gemma against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gemma in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Gemma is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Gemma is most common
Geography matters for names, and Gemma is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Gemma is most common in CT (2.7 per 1,000), NE (2.5 per 1,000), UT (2.2 per 1,000), PA (2 per 1,000), ID (2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.4 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Gemma is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Gemma
Statistically, parents drawn to Gemma tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dahlia, Amira, Freya, Myla, and Kaia.
DahliaAmiraFreyaMylaKaiaAlinaGiaZara
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gemma | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,805 | #170 |
| 2024 | 1,517 | #203 |
| 2023 | 1,655 | #176 |
| 2022 | 1,509 | #197 |
| 2021 | 1,554 | #190 |
| 2020 | 1,388 | #208 |
| 2019 | 1,526 | #198 |
| 2018 | 1,384 | #227 |
| 2017 | 1,254 | #255 |
| 2016 | 1,274 | #247 |
| 2015 | 1,174 | #269 |
| 2014 | 1,219 | #272 |
| 2013 | 1,026 | #316 |
| 2012 | 1,017 | #319 |
| 2011 | 910 | #352 |
| 2010 | 683 | #450 |
| 2009 | 542 | #563 |
| 2008 | 314 | #886 |
| 2007 | 218 | #1166 |
| 2006 | 210 | #1157 |
| 2005 | 201 | #1154 |
| 2004 | 147 | #1413 |
| 2003 | 154 | #1328 |
| 2002 | 175 | #1175 |
| 2001 | 155 | #1266 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Gemma?
In official American birth records, the name Gemma first appeared in 1904 (over 121 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 121 years.
Is Gemma a popular girl name?
Gemma ranked #170 among girls in 2025 with 1,805 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #269.
When was the name Gemma most popular?
Gemma peaked in 2025, when 1,805 American girls received the name (ranked #170 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Gemma?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 997 newborn American girls was named Gemma. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.