Fun Facts About the Name Yama
- 85 babies named Yama: U.S. records list 85 babies given the name Yama from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Yama Mean?
Yama is a masculine name best known from Sanskrit, where it names the Hindu god of death. The Sanskrit word yama means "twin," from the Indo-European root *yemo-, the same root behind Latin geminus ("twin") and Old Norse Ymir. In the oldest Indian texts, Yama is the twin brother of Yami, which supports the "twin" sense. A second, traditional explanation links the name to the Sanskrit root yam-, "to restrain, hold back, control," giving "restrainer" or "controller" - a reading that fits his role as judge and ruler of the dead. That second sense is a symbolic or customary interpretation rather than the name's oldest etymology, and the two derivations are often repeated side by side.
Separately, Japanese uses yama (山) to mean "mountain." It is common as an element in Japanese surnames and place names; standing alone as a given name, it is uncommon.
Yama Name History & Origins
Yama appears in the Rigveda, the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature, as the first human to die. He is the son of Vivasvan and Saranyu and the twin brother of Yami. Because he was the first to walk the path of the dead, he became ruler of the realm of the ancestors and, in later tradition, the lord of death. In classical Hinduism he is a king and judge who keeps accounts of human deeds, carries a noose, and rides a buffalo, with his realm (Yamaloka) placed in the south.
The figure and the name spread with Indian religion. In Buddhism, Yama became a lord and judge of the dead; in Chinese Buddhist translation, Sanskrit Yama was joined with rāja ("king") to form 閻羅王 (Yanluo Wang), which entered Japanese as Enma (閻魔). Yama has a close counterpart in the Iranian Avestan Yima, the first king, later known in Persian tradition as Jamshid. Both point to an old Indo-Iranian figure, and the name's root is shared with the Norse giant Ymir.
As a personal name, Yama is used mainly in South Asia and in regions shaped by Hindu tradition, such as Nepal and Bali. Tied as it is to the god of death, it is not among the most common Indian given names, but it is attested and carries the gravity of the deity. In Japan, Yama appears chiefly as a surname or place element meaning "mountain" rather than as a common given name.
How Popular is the Name Yama?
Yama 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 #5,925 in 1991.
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 | #7,169 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #10,799 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #12,077 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #11,426 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #10,492 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #6,956 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #6,210 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #6,665 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #5,925 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #6,394 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #6,918 | 7 | 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.
Explore More Lists with Name Yama
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with Y
Unique Short Boy Names That Start with Y
How the Name Yama Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual. You hate bondage in any form. You have love of beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You are willing to take spiritual matters on faith instead of subjecting them to mental analysis. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
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.
✦ Yama's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Yama's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.