Meaning: James reversed; a creative American name formed by reversing the letters of James, itself from Hebrew Ya'aqov (Jacob: supplanter) via Latin Jacobus and Old French JamesHigh
In 30 seconds: A creative American name formed by reversing the letters of James. It carries James's meaning ('supplanter,' ultimately from Jacob) in a distinctive new visual form — one of the most notable reversal names in American naming.
MeaningJames reversed; a creative American name formed by reversing the letters of James, itself from Hebrew Ya'aqov (Jacob: supplanter) via Latin Jacobus and Old French James
U.S. rank (2024)#1069 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births204 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2011
Total births (all-time)≈ 7,203
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
History & Origin
Semaj is an American creative coinage, formed by reversing the letters of James. James itself derives from Old French Jaime/James, from Latin Jacobus, from Hebrew Ya'aqov (supplanter, Jacob).
Semaj appeared in U.S. birth data from the 1990s and ranked #1069 for boys in 2024.
Did you know? Reversal names — Nevaeh (heaven), Semaj (James), Adanac (Canada), Anael (Leana) — are a uniquely American naming tradition rooted in the desire for distinctive, phonetically appealing names that honor existing names with fresh visual identity.
Overall data confidence 84%
U.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data
Variations
SamejSemaje
Nicknames
Sem
Famous Bearers
Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Semaj…
James— the name Semaj reverses, sharing its complete phonetic identity
Jamel— Ja- opening masculine name in the same community
Jamari— three-syllable Ja- name in the same African American naming space
Javier— three-syllable J-opening masculine name in the same community
Jakai— creative J-opening name in the same naming tradition
Frequently Asked
What does the name Semaj mean?
Semaj is James spelled backwards, an American reversal coinage. James itself means 'supplanter,' from Hebrew Jacob (Ya'aqov).
How do you pronounce Semaj?
It's said suh-MAJ — two syllables, stress on the second.
