Pema
Below 5 births
Below 5 births
About Pema
Pema is related to the more familiar Hindu name Padma and means lotus flower. This delightful name was given to only 14 girls in the USA last year, so it's guaranteed to be a unique choice. Pema is probably most familiar to Westerners through Buddhist nun Pema Chodron and through Jetsun Pema, the Dalai Lama's sister.
Pema for girls
Note: Pema rhymes with Emma.
Pema for boys
Pema is rare enough in the US that it qualifies as gender-neutral, and indeed it is a gender-neutral name in Tibet, its country of origin. However, its relationship to Padma, a mostly feminine name, and similarity in sound to Emma make us think that Pema will be more likely to be borne by baby girls.
Pronounced PAY-muh.
As of October 2026, Pema ranked #10053 in US births in 2024 SSA, peaked at #7548 in 2022.
Popularity & trends
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Pema.
Pema on lists
Famous Pemas
- Pema Diki SherpaGirl
Nepalese mountaineer who in 2008 became the youngest woman to climb Mount Everest
- Pema Chödrön (born Deirdre BlomfieldGirl
Brown), American Tibetan Buddhist nun
- Pema TrinleGirl
Tibetan Buddhist teacher
- Pema HitchGirl
English DJ; sister of singer Neon Hitch
- Pema LingpaGirl
male Tibetan Buddhist saint
Pema in pop culture
- PemaGirl
Tenzin's wife in Avatar: The Legend of Korra