Nehemiah
Girl name · #5194 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Nehemiah? In official American birth records, Nehemiah has been tracked continuously since 1997, giving it 28 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 25 baby girls were named Nehemiah, placing it at #5194 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #6036, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 72,000 girls born in 2025 was named Nehemiah.
Babies named Nehemiah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 28-year story
Nehemiah first appears in the Social Security records in 1997, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2010, when 36 girls were named Nehemiah — good for #4107 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Nehemiah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nehemiah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nehemiah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Nehemiah will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nehemiah is most common
State-level data for Nehemiah is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Nehemiah
Statistically, parents drawn to Nehemiah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jazariah, Nazariah, Jariah, Lariah, and Jaziah.
JazariahNazariahJariahLariahJaziahZaniahLeiahUriah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nehemiah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #5099 |
| 2024 | 15 | #7251 |
| 2023 | 20 | #5960 |
| 2022 | 35 | #4108 |
| 2021 | 29 | #4607 |
| 2020 | 22 | #5487 |
| 2019 | 19 | #6176 |
| 2018 | 24 | #5315 |
| 2017 | 28 | #4811 |
| 2016 | 24 | #5445 |
| 2015 | 21 | #6036 |
| 2014 | 33 | #4350 |
| 2013 | 29 | #4755 |
| 2012 | 27 | #5114 |
| 2011 | 25 | #5358 |
| 2010 | 36 | #4107 |
| 2009 | 20 | #6544 |
| 2008 | 23 | #5955 |
| 2007 | 15 | #8098 |
| 2006 | 25 | #5383 |
| 2005 | 22 | #5600 |
| 2004 | 21 | #5744 |
| 2003 | 27 | #4668 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7045 |
| 2001 | 21 | #5364 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Nehemiah?
In official American birth records, the name Nehemiah first appeared in 1997 (over 28 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 28 years.
Is Nehemiah a popular girl name?
Nehemiah ranked #5194 among girls in 2025 with 25 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6036.
When was the name Nehemiah most popular?
Nehemiah peaked in 2010, when 36 American girls received the name (ranked #4107 that year). Since 2010 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nehemiah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 72,000 newborn American girls was named Nehemiah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.