Fun Facts About the Name Rhema
- More than 1 thousand babies named Rhema: U.S. records list 1,290 babies given the name Rhema from 1880 through 2025. Even 20 boys received the name Rhema - about 1 boy for every 64 girls.
What Does the Name Rhema Mean?
Rhema is the Greek word rhēma (ῥῆμα), meaning "that which is spoken" - a word, a saying, or an utterance. It is built on the root rhē- ("to speak"), which also yields rhētōr ("orator") and rhēsis ("speech"). In ancient Greek the word could also mean a matter, thing, or event, since something spoken of could be a fact or an occurrence.
In the Greek New Testament rhēma appears often, both for spoken words and for things that happened. Matthew 4:4 ("by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God") and Luke 1:38 ("be it unto me according to thy word") use rhēma. Some later Christian writers, particularly in Pentecostal and charismatic circles, treat rhēma as a spoken, personal word of God and contrast it with logos as the written or general word. That contrast is a modern theological reading rather than a distinction the Greek words themselves carry; in the New Testament the two terms overlap in meaning.
Rhema Name History & Origins
As a personal name, Rhema is a modern use of the Greek word rather than an inherited ancient Greek name. It is found mainly among English-speaking Christians, and it is also used in some African countries, including Nigeria and South Africa. It is given chiefly to girls, though it appears occasionally as a boy's name.
The word has also served as an organizational name for churches, Bible colleges, and broadcasters, such as Rhema Bible Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with its affiliated Bible training college. Those institutional uses are distinct from the personal name, but they made the word widely recognizable to English-speaking Christians in the later 20th century.
How Popular is the Name Rhema?
Rhema 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 #1,766 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 | #1,766 | 115 | 0.0072% |
| 2024 | #2,090 | 92 | 0.0057% |
| 2023 | #2,305 | 80 | 0.0050% |
| 2022 | #2,779 | 62 | 0.0038% |
| 2021 | #2,663 | 65 | 0.0040% |
| 2020 | #2,998 | 54 | 0.0033% |
| 2019 | #3,262 | 49 | 0.0029% |
| 2018 | #3,989 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2017 | #4,054 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 2016 | #3,648 | 43 | 0.0024% |
| 2015 | #3,692 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 2014 | #3,475 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 2013 | #3,255 | 50 | 0.0028% |
| 2012 | #3,977 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2011 | #4,548 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2010 | #4,475 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2009 | #5,854 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2008 | #5,249 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2007 | #5,865 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2006 | #5,065 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2005 | #6,189 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2004 | #6,159 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2003 | #4,918 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2002 | #5,849 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2001 | #5,522 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2000 | #5,892 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #9,329 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #9,917 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #8,869 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #6,314 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1995 | #7,407 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #7,488 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1993 | #9,344 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #8,574 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #10,025 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #11,087 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #13,968 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #9,030 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #6,234 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1985 | #10,318 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #8,900 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #7,858 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1982 | #8,959 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #7,241 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #10,647 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #10,614 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #11,828 | 6 | 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 Rhema Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Rhema's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rhema's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.