Fun Facts About the Name Hemma
- 28 babies named Hemma: U.S. records list 28 babies given the name Hemma from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Hemma Mean?
Hemma is a feminine given name recorded mainly in German-speaking Central Europe, where it is generally treated as a form of Emma. It goes back to the Germanic element ermen (also spelled irmin), meaning "whole," "universal," or "all-encompassing." The literal sense of that element is "whole" or "universal"; the looser gloss "great" sometimes given for the name reflects the same root rather than a separate meaning. Because Hemma and Emma were used for the same women in medieval German records, the initial H- is best understood as a spelling and dialect variant, not evidence of a different origin. A minority of explanations traces Emma instead to other Germanic roots, such as amal- ("work") or heim- ("home"), so the exact derivation is not fully settled, but the ermen- explanation is the usual one.
Hemma Name History & Origins
Hemma appears in the German-speaking lands during the Middle Ages as a form of Emma. Queen Hemma, also called Emma, of Altdorf, who died in 876, was the wife of Louis the German, the East Frankish king. The name is most closely associated with Saint Hemma of Gurk (about 980 - 1045), a Carinthian noblewoman. After the deaths of her husband and her sons, she used her inheritance to endow churches and religious houses, including the church at Gurk in present-day Austria, and she was remembered for her gifts to the poor. She was canonized in 1938.
Within the German-speaking area, Hemma and Emma continued to appear side by side in later records, and the name is also found in Scandinavia. The modern Swedish word hemma, meaning "at home," is a separate word and has no bearing on the name's origin.
How Popular is the Name Hemma?
Hemma has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #12,384 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,384 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #15,306 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #17,778 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #17,078 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #15,267 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Hemma Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Hemma's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Hemma's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.