Fun Facts About the Name Semisi
- 216 babies named Semisi: U.S. records list 216 babies given the name Semisi from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Semisi Mean?
Semisi is the Tongan form of James, and it carries the meaning of that name: traditionally, "supplanter." The line of descent runs from the Hebrew Yaʿaqov (Jacob) through the Greek Iakōbos and the Latin Iacobus, which produced the English James. The Hebrew name is usually linked to ʿaqev, the word for "heel," and to the Genesis story in which Jacob is born grasping his twin brother's heel; a related verb means "to supplant" or "to take the place of another." Some scholars instead treat Yaʿaqov as a shortened form of a longer name meaning "may God protect," so the older derivation is not entirely settled. Tongan did not borrow the Hebrew or Latin forms; it took over the English biblical name and reshaped it to Tongan sounds.
Semisi Name History & Origins
Tongan is a Polynesian language without the English j sound, and its syllables normally end in a vowel, so James was remade as Semisi: the initial consonant became s, and vowels were added after the consonants. This fits the broader pattern by which biblical names entered Tongan during 19th-century Christian missionary work - Sione for John, Peteli for Peter, and Siaosi for George, the name taken by the Tongan chief Tāufaʻāhau at his baptism in the 1830s.
In the Tongan Bible, Semisi is the name used for James, both the apostle and the New Testament letter, and that scriptural use is the main way the name became familiar in Tonga. Missionaries produced a Tongan New Testament in the 1850s, with the complete Bible following in the 1860s, and the name has been given to Tongan children since. It is still used in Tonga and among Tongan communities in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States.
How Popular is the Name Semisi?
Semisi 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 2009. Its best rank was #6,221 in 1998.
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 | #7,592 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #8,824 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #10,615 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #10,666 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #10,416 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #11,905 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #13,916 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #9,429 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #13,732 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #10,570 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #14,003 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #7,493 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #6,749 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #9,715 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #12,111 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #9,420 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #8,956 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #8,782 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #7,726 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #9,223 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #8,081 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #9,689 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #6,221 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #10,283 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #7,663 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #6,875 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #7,145 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #9,007 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1983 | #7,153 | 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 Semisi Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Semisi's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Semisi's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.