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Chima
How to Pronounce Chima
Pronounced CHEE-mah /ΛtΚiΛ.mΙΛ/Medium
Meaning: Chima is an Igbo name from Nigeria, a short form of names such as Chimaobi, built on 'Chi' (God, one's personal divine spirit) and 'ma' ('knows') - so 'God knows.' It belongs to the rich Igbo tradition of theophoric names that make a statement of faith.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Chima is an Igbo name, short for Chimaobi and related 'Chi' names, meaning 'God knows.' It comes from the Igbo tradition of theophoric names that voice trust in God. In the United States it arrived with Nigerian immigrant families and stayed rare, appearing from the late 1970s and cresting at only about fifteen boys a year in the early 2000s.
A Chima born at its American peak would be in his early twenties today. Its clear two-beat sound sits beside Chidi, Chinedu, and Emeka - the Igbo names of its cohort - and it reads as contemporary and meaningful. It carries its faith statement in an easy, wearable shape.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Chima mean?
Chima means 'God knows,' an Igbo name short for Chimaobi and related 'Chi' names.
How do you pronounce Chima?
It is commonly said CHEE-mah, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Chima a boy or a girl name?
Chima is used chiefly for boys in the Igbo tradition.
Is Chima a popular name?
No. In the United States Chima has always been rare, seen mostly in Nigerian-American families and reaching its modest best in the early two-thousands.