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Home › Baby Names Directory › Nemesis

Nemesis

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Nemesis

Pronounced NEM-uh-sis /ˈnɛm.ə.sɪs/Medium

Meaning: Nemesis is the name of a figure from Greek mythology, the goddess who oversaw the fair distribution of fortune and the correction of excess. It comes from the verb nemein, 'to distribute' or 'to allot,' so the name literally means 'the dealing-out of what is due.' Used as a given name it draws directly on this classical figure.Medium

In 30 seconds: Nemesis is a very rare girl's name taken from the Greek goddess of measured justice, whose name means 'the distribution of what is due.' It appeared in tiny numbers around the mid-1990s (said NEM-uh-sis).
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Origin MediumGreek
MeaningNemesis is the name of a figure from Greek mythology, the goddess who oversaw the fair distribution of fortune and the correction of excess. It comes from the verb nemein, 'to distribute' or 'to allot,' so the name literally means 'the dealing-out of what is due.' Used as a given name it draws directly on this classical figure.
U.S. rank (2023)#14654 ↗ Rising
2023 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1996
Total births (all-time)≈ 166

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199619792023

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Nemesis reaches back to ancient Greek religion, where the goddess of that name saw that no one enjoyed more good fortune than was their due. The word grows from nemein, 'to deal out,' the same root behind ideas of allotment and measure. As a modern given name it is used only rarely and appeals to families drawn to classical mythology.

As a personal name Nemesis has stayed extremely uncommon in the United States, surfacing only occasionally across recent decades. Its strong mythological weight keeps it a bold, unusual choice; a girl named Nemesis in the 1990s would now be about thirty.

Did you know? In Greek myth Nemesis balanced fortune, humbling those who grew too proud or too lucky, so her name carried the idea of fairness restored rather than simple revenge.
Overall data confidence 50%
References - Nemesis — Greek goddess of retribution/measured justice; name < nemein 'to distribute what is due'; used rarely as given name; peak mid-1990s.

Variations

NemesysNemesa

Nicknames

NemNessie

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Nemesis…

Athena— another Greek goddess used as a name
Diana— a like classical divine name
Juno— a comparable goddess name
Selene— another Greek mythological name

Explore names like Nemesis

By themeraregreekmythologygoddess

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Nemesis mean?

It is the name of the Greek goddess of measured justice, from nemein, 'to distribute what is due.'

How do you pronounce Nemesis?

It is said NEM-uh-sis /ˈnɛm.ə.sɪs/ - three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Nemesis a boy or girl name?

Nemesis is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Nemesis?

Never common, it reached only about fourteen girls in its best year, in the nineteen-nineties, and stayed a rare choice otherwise.

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