Semaj

Semaj - A very unique male name



  Nov 08,2026      Abigail Adams, Editorial writer   

Semaj at a glance

Semaj is ranked #1017 among boy baby names in 2025, with 171 births in 2025. It peaked in 2011 at #628 and first appeared on the charts in 1975.

Rank in 2025
#1017
Births in 2025
171
Peak year
2011 (#628)
First appeared
1975
Trend
#1090 in 2020 → #1017 in 2025 (Rising)
Popularity
1 in 8,575 boys
Visitor rating
4.4/5 (8 recent votes)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026

Semaj appeared on the charts for the first time in 1975 on position #2156. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Semaj and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Semaj? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Semaj. The baby boy name Semaj was given to 171 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1017 on the national boy baby name top chart.

Must Try: Find A Perfect Name Based On Your Last Name...

With that position 1 in 8,575 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Semaj peaked in popularity 15 years ago in 2011 on position 628.



Famous with this name

Phrederic Semaj
Semaj King
Semaj Smith


How would you rate Semaj, 1-5?

Rating: 4.4/5 (8 recent votes)


Semaj is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Semaj is currently topping the baby name charts in Mississippi at position #365 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,752.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Semaj is where you live.


Comment and discuss




Semaj origin and meaning

Modern American — James spelled backwards

The name James written in reverse — a documented modern American construction; James itself is from Hebrew Jacob, 'supplanter'

Semaj is James reversed, one of the best-known of the backwards-name coinages in African-American naming tradition. It appeared in the 1970s, peaked in 2011, and is rising again modestly.

Attested etymology

Semaj is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Semaj, pop culture references for the name Semaj and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Semaj

We've found the following names that sound similar to Semaj, sorted by popularity.

Seamus / Simcha / Sanjay / Seneca / Shamus / Sanchez / Sang / Shameek / Sung / Seng /

Name statistics


Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)



Chart position per state (visualized)



Chart position per year (table view)


Year Rank
20251017
20241042
2023887
20221161
20211166
20201090
20191012
20181024
2017975
20161014
2015970
2014910
2013820
2012755
2011628
2010666
2009666
2008666
2007721
2006697
2005691
2004731
2003748
2002754
2001698
2000988
1999892
1998990
19971248
19961102
19951231
19941664
19931281
19921466
19912160
19901631
19893360
19822195
19752156

Chart position per state (table view)


State Rank
Mississippi365
Georgia439
Michigan566
Louisiana586
North Carolina712
Florida775
South Carolina858
Alabama862
Pennsylvania901
Ohio928
Texas972
Missouri976
New Jersey1160
Tennessee1163
New York1543
California2752

Even more about Semaj


These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Semaj a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Semaj?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

Pronunciation

seh-MAHZH · /səˈmɑʒ/
Also heard as seh-MAHJ and SEM-aj; families vary.

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Modern coinage

Why parents choose it

Semaj lets parents honour a James in a completely individual way — the tribute is built into the spelling. Those who get it, get it immediately.

Worth knowing

  • Many people will not spot the reversal until told — and some will mispronounce it until corrected.
  • Pronunciation is not settled.

Recommended articles


New data stories


#
On chart
2011
Peak year
Male


Popularity Score™

Name Semaj
Gender Male
Popularity 1 in 8,575
Letter count 5
Syllable count 2
Year first discovered 1975
2025 births +171

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