Given name & surname
Tema
“one who is righteous; palm tree”
Tema is used as a given name and a surname. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is righteous; palm tree.”
Original Hebrewתימא
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is righteous; palm tree.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
From the Hebrew root ymn (ימן).
From biblical name research
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1933. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Tema appears in Genesis 25:15, 1 Chronicles 1:30, Job 6:19 and 2 other passages.
- Genesis 25:15
- 1 Chronicles 1:30
- Job 6:19
- Isaiah 21:14
- Jeremiah 25:23
From biblical name research
Tema through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 189
- 0 boys · 189 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 10 babies
- 2025
- 8
- #11,831 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +100%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 8 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 11,831 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 322 as a first name in 2020; 321 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Tema’s family of names
Tema has a related form in Temah. Tema has a related form in Temma. Tema has a related form in Temmah.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 8
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Similar names
If you love Tema, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Elana
“from the oak tree”
>99% girls
Azalea
“of the dry earth; resembling the flower” · “one who is spared by God”
>99% girls
Allona
“one who is as strong as an oak” · “of the oak tree”
>99% girls
Blimah
“one resembling a blossom”
>99% girls
Omah
“from the cedar tree”
>99% girls
Hedasaa
“resembling a star”
>99% girls
Marilla
“of the shining sea”
>99% girls
Orinthia
“of the pine tree” · “a fair lady”
3% boys · 97% girls