Baby names starting with J
144 names beginning with J, each with an editorial meaning and origin note and its real popularity rank from the 2025 U.S. Social Security Administration data. Rank is U.S.-only and reflects how records are grouped in that source.
- Jabari Swahili 'jabari' = brave, fearless, from the Arabic 'jabbar' = mighty
- Jace modern American short form of Jason, from Greek Iason, from 'iasthai' = to heal
- Jack medieval English pet form of John, by way of Jankin (John plus the diminutive -kin); so common that it became a word for any man; the old link to French Jacques is now generally rejected
- Jackson surname meaning 'son of Jack', Jack being the medieval English pet form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Jacob from Hebrew Ya'aqov, explained in Genesis by 'aqev' = heel, for the twin born gripping his brother's heel; hence 'supplanter'
- Jacqueline French feminine diminutive of Jacques, the French form of James and Jacob, from Hebrew Ya'aqov = 'holder of the heel'
- Jada either from Hebrew Yada = 'he knows' or a modern elaboration of Jade; widely known through the actress Jada Pinkett Smith
- Jade from the gemstone; Spanish 'piedra de la ijada' = stone of the flank, since it was believed to cure pain in the side and kidneys
- Jaden modern American name on the Aiden/Caden pattern; sometimes tied to the minor biblical name Jadon, from a Hebrew root meaning 'he will judge', but the modern name is essentially a new coinage
- Jadiel modern Spanish-American coinage joining a Ja- element to the Hebrew ending -el = God, on the pattern of Ariel and Gabriel; no older documented root
- Jahkai modern American coinage joining the Jah- prefix to the -kai ending (compare Makai, Jakai); no older documented root
- Jahmir modern American coinage joining the Ja- prefix to -mir (compare Amir, from Arabic 'amir' = prince, commander); no older documented root
- Jahseh modern American coinage on the Jah- prefix; known through the rapper Jahseh Onfroy
- Jahziel from the Hebrew Yachtzi'el, a name in the Hebrew Bible, generally read as 'God apportions' / 'God divides'
- Jaiden modern American coinage in the -aiden pattern (compare Aiden, Kaiden); no older documented root
- Jaime Spanish form of James, from Hebrew Ya'aqov = 'supplanter'; also an English variant spelling of Jamie
- Jair from Hebrew Ya'ir = 'he shines' / 'he enlightens'
- Jairo Spanish form of Jairus, from Hebrew Ya'ir = 'he shines, he enlightens'; in the Gospels Jairus is the synagogue leader whose daughter Jesus restores to life
- Jakai modern American coinage, the Ja- prefix with the -kai ending (compare Makai, Zakai); no older documented root
- Jakari modern American coinage, the Ja- prefix with the -kari ending (compare Amari, Jamari); no older documented root
- Jake medieval English diminutive of Jacob, from Hebrew Ya'aqov = 'supplanter' / 'holder of the heel'
- Jalani modern American coinage joining the Ja- prefix to the -lani ending (compare Kehlani); no older documented root
- Jalen modern American coinage of the 1990s, joining the Ja- prefix to the -len ending; popularized by the basketball player Jalen Rose
- Jaliyah modern American coinage joining the Ja- prefix to the -liyah ending of Aaliyah (Arabic 'aliya' = exalted); no older documented root
- Jamari modern American coinage, the Ja- prefix with the -mari ending (compare Amari, Jakari); no older documented root
- James from Latin Iacomus, a late spoken variant of Iacobus, from Hebrew Ya'aqov (Jacob) = 'holder of the heel', 'supplanter'
- Jameson transferred surname meaning 'son of James', James ultimately from Hebrew Ya'aqov (Jacob) = 'holder of the heel', 'supplanter'
- Jamie Scottish pet form of James, from Hebrew Ya'aqov (Jacob) = 'holder of the heel'
- Jamir modern American coinage, the Ja- prefix with the -mir ending (compare Amir, Jamari); no older documented root
- Jamison transferred surname meaning 'son of James'; James comes through Latin Iacobus from Hebrew Yaaqov (Jacob)
- Jane English feminine form of John, via Old French Jehanne, from Hebrew 'yochanan' = 'God is gracious'
- Janelle modern American coinage, Jane with the -elle ending; Jane goes back to Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Janiyah modern American coinage joining the Jan- opening to the -iyah ending; no older documented root
- Jared from Hebrew Yered, generally read as 'descent', from 'yarad' = to go down
- Jasai modern American coinage in the Ja- + -ai pattern (compare Jakai, Zakai); no older documented root
- Jase modern short form of Jason, from Greek Iason, linked to 'iasthai' = to heal
- Jasiah modern American coinage blending the Ja- prefix with Josiah/Isaiah; Josiah is from Hebrew Yoshiyahu = 'Yahweh supports'
- Jasiel Hebrew name from the books of Chronicles, where the form varies between Jaasiel and Jasiel; usually read as 'God is my maker'
- Jasmine from the flower, by way of Old French 'jessemin' from Persian 'yasamin' = jasmine
- Jason from Greek Iason, from 'iasthai' = to heal; in Greek myth the leader of the Argonauts, and in the New Testament a Greek form used for Joshua
- Jasper the name traditionally given to one of the magi; probably from Persian 'ganzabara' = treasurer; the stone jasper is a separate word
- Javier Spanish form of Xavier, from the Basque place name Etxaberri, 'etxe' = house + 'berri' = new
- Javon modern American coinage; also read as the biblical Javan, from Hebrew Yavan, a name associated with the Greeks
- Jax modern American short form of Jaxon/Jackson, 'son of Jack', Jack being a medieval English pet form of John
- Jaxon modern American respelling of Jackson, 'son of Jack', Jack being a medieval pet form of John
- Jaxson modern American respelling of Jackson, 'son of Jack', Jack being a medieval pet form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'God is gracious'
- Jaxton modern American coinage joining Jax, from Jackson, to the -ton ending
- Jaxx modern American respelling of Jax, from Jack, the medieval English diminutive of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Jaxxon modern American respelling of Jackson = 'son of Jack', Jack being a medieval pet form of John (Hebrew Yochanan = 'the Lord is gracious')
- Jay either from the bird name jay (Old French 'jai', probably from the Latin name Gaius), or a short form of any name beginning with J
- Jayce modern American respelling of Jace, a short form of Jason, from Greek Iason, from 'iasthai' = to heal
- Jaycee modern American name written out from the initials J.C.; also a respelling of Jacy
- Jayceon modern American coinage, an elaboration of Jayce/Jason; popularized by the rapper Jayceon Taylor (The Game)
- Jayda modern respelling of Jada, either from Hebrew Yada = 'he knows' or an elaboration of Jade
- Jayden modern American coinage on the pattern of Aiden and Hayden; the tie to the biblical Jadon = 'he will judge' came after the name was already in use
- Jayla modern American coinage joining the Jay- opening to the -la ending; no older documented root
- Jaylani modern American coinage joining the Jay- prefix to the -lani ending (compare Kehlani, Leilani); no older documented root
- Jayleen modern American coinage joining the Jay- prefix to the -leen ending (compare Kaylee, Jaylene); no older documented root
- Jaylen modern American coinage, joining the Jay- element to the '-len' ending, on the pattern of Jalen and Waylon
- Jayson variant spelling of Jason, from Greek Iason, linked to 'iasthai' = to heal
- Jaziel from Hebrew, a Levite name in the Book of Chronicles, appearing also as Jaaziel and Jahaziel; the second element is 'el' = God, the first read either as 'azaz' = to be strong or 'chazah' = to see; root debated
- Jazlyn modern American blend of Jasmine (or Jaz) with the -lyn suffix
- Jazlynn modern American coinage joining the Jaz- prefix (from Jasmine, or the word jazz) to the -lynn ending; no older documented root
- Jazmin Spanish spelling of Jasmine, from Persian 'yasamin', the jasmine flower
- Jean French form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Jeffrey medieval English form of Geoffrey, a Germanic name whose second element is 'frid' = peace; the first is disputed, read variously as territory, stranger or pledge
- Jemma variant of Gemma, from Italian 'gemma' = gem, precious stone, from Latin 'gemma' = bud, jewel
- Jenesis modern respelling of Genesis, from Greek 'genesis' = origin, birth, creation, the name of the first book of the Bible
- Jenna modern elaboration of Jenny, a diminutive of Jane, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'; popularized by the 1980s series Dallas
- Jennifer Cornish form of the Welsh Gwenhwyfar, the Guinevere of Arthurian legend, from 'gwen' = white, fair, blessed + a second element read as smooth, soft
- Jensen transferred Danish surname meaning 'son of Jens', Jens being the Scandinavian form of John, from Hebrew 'yochanan' = 'God is gracious'
- Jeremiah from Hebrew Yirmeyahu, read as 'Yahweh exalts' or 'Yahweh establishes'
- Jeremy medieval English form of Jeremiah, from Hebrew Yirmeyahu = 'Yahweh exalts'
- Jerome from Greek Hieronymos, 'hieros' = sacred + 'onoma' = name; borne by the translator of the Latin Vulgate
- Jesse from Hebrew Yishai, of uncertain sense; 'gift' is the usual gloss
- Jessica apparently coined by Shakespeare for The Merchant of Venice, most likely from the biblical Iscah, Hebrew Yiskah, read as 'she beholds'
- Jesus Spanish Jesus, from Latin Iesus, from Greek Iesous, from the Hebrew and Aramaic Yeshua, a short form of Yehoshua (Joshua) = 'Yahweh is salvation'
- Jet English word name from the black gemstone, from Old French 'jaiet', named for the Greek town Gagai; also a Dutch short form of Henriette
- Jett English word name, from jet, the deep black gemstone, by way of Old French 'jaiet' from Greek 'gagates' = stone of Gagas, a town in Lycia
- Jettson modern American coinage, Jett with the patronymic ending '-son'; Jett is from the English word for the black gemstone jet, from Greek 'gagates', a stone of Gagai in Asia Minor
- Jillian English form of Gillian, itself a form of Juliana, the feminine of Julian, from the Roman family name Julius
- Jimena Spanish variant of Ximena, the feminine of Ximeno, an old Navarrese name of debated root
- Jiraiya from Japanese Jiraiya, the toad-riding hero of an Edo-period adventure tale, written with characters read as 'young thunder'; widely known today from the manga and anime Naruto
- Joanna Latin Iohanna, the feminine of Iohannes (John), from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Joaquin Spanish form of Joachim, from Hebrew Yehoyaqim = 'Yahweh raises up, establishes'
- Jocelyn from the Norman masculine name Joscelin, from a Germanic name based on the tribal name Gaut (the Gauts or Goths) plus a diminutive ending; used for girls in English since the 20th century
- Joel from Hebrew Yo'el = 'Yahweh is God'
- Joelle French feminine form of Joel, from Hebrew Yo'el, joining the divine name Yah to 'el' = God
- Johan Scandinavian and German form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- John from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious', by way of Latin Iohannes
- Johnathan variant spelling of Jonathan, from Hebrew Yehonatan = 'Yahweh has given'
- Johnny diminutive of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Jolene modern American coinage, a feminine built on Joe with the -lene ending; fixed in use by Dolly Parton's song (1973)
- Jolie from French 'jolie' = pretty, attractive
- Jonah from Hebrew Yonah = dove
- Jonas Greek and Latin form of Jonah, from Hebrew Yonah = dove
- Jonathan from Hebrew Yehonatan = 'Yahweh has given'
- Jones Welsh patronymic surname meaning 'son of John'; John is from Hebrew Yochanan = 'the Lord is gracious'
- Jordan from the river Jordan, Hebrew Yarden, from 'yarad' = to go down, to flow down; crusaders brought back both the water and the name
- Jordy diminutive of Jordan, from the River Jordan, from Hebrew Yarden = 'descending, flowing down'
- Jordyn modern respelling of Jordan, from the river Jordan; Hebrew 'Yarden', from 'yarad' = to descend, flow down
- Jorge Spanish and Portuguese form of George, from Greek 'georgos' = farmer, from 'ge' = earth + 'ergon' = work
- Jose Spanish form of Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef = 'he will add', 'God shall add'
- Joseph from Hebrew Yosef = 'he will add', a prayer that God grant another son
- Josephine French feminine diminutive of Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef = 'he will add'
- Joshua from Hebrew Yehoshua = 'Yahweh is salvation'; the same name that gives Jesus by way of Greek
- Josiah from Hebrew Yoshiyahu = 'Yahweh supports, Yahweh heals'
- Josie pet form of Josephine, the feminine of Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef = 'he will add', 'God shall add'
- Josue Spanish, Portuguese and French form of Joshua, from Hebrew Yehoshua = 'Yahweh is salvation'
- Journee modern French-styled respelling of the word journey, from Old French 'journee' = a day, a day's travel or work, from Latin 'diurnum' = of the day
- Journey English word name, from Old French 'journee' = a day's travel or work, from Latin 'diurnus' = of the day
- Journi modern respelling of the word name Journey, from Old French 'journee' = a day, a day's travel, from Latin 'diurnus' = daily
- Jovani Italian-influenced respelling of Giovanni (John), from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Jovanni variant spelling of Giovanni, the Italian form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Jovi modern short name, generally linked to Latin 'Iovis' = of Jove (Jupiter), the chief Roman god; there is no older record of it as a personal name
- Jovie modern American name from the English word jovial, which goes back to Jove (Jupiter), whose planet was held to make people cheerful; brought into use by the film Elf (2003)
- Joy from the English word, through Old French 'joie' from Latin 'gaudium' = delight
- Joyce from the medieval name Josse, from the Breton name Iodoc, a diminutive of 'iud' = lord; later associated with the English word 'joy'
- Joziah respelling of Josiah, from Hebrew Yoshiyahu = 'the Lord supports' or 'the Lord heals'; Josiah was a reforming king of Judah
- Jrue modern American invented name, taken from the basketball player Jrue Holiday; no older documented root
- Juan Spanish form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'God is gracious'
- Juana Spanish feminine of Juan (John), from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Jubilee English word name, from Hebrew 'yobel' = ram's horn, the trumpet that proclaimed the year of release, via Latin 'iubilaeus'; a year of emancipation and restoration
- Judah from Hebrew Yehudah = 'praised'; the tribe and kingdom whose name is behind the word Jew
- Jude English form of Judas and Judah, from Hebrew Yehudah = 'praised'
- Judith from Hebrew Yehudit = 'woman of Judah'
- Judson transferred English surname meaning 'son of Judd', Judd being a medieval pet form of Jordan
- Julia feminine of the Roman family name Julius, of uncertain root; the Julii traced themselves to Iulus, son of Aeneas
- Julian from Latin Iulianus, a derivative of the Roman family name Julius; the Julii claimed descent from Iulus, son of Aeneas
- Juliana feminine of Latin Julianus, a derivative of the Roman family name Julius, whose origin is uncertain, often linked to Greek 'ioulos' = downy-bearded, youthful
- Julianna feminine of Julian, from the Roman family name Julius, of uncertain origin; sometimes linked to Greek 'ioulos' = downy-bearded, youthful
- Julien French form of Julian, from the Roman Julianus, a derivative of the family name Julius
- Juliet English form of the Italian Giulietta, a diminutive of Giulia (Julia); fixed in English by Shakespeare
- Julieta Spanish form of Juliet, a diminutive of Julia, from the Roman family name Julius, whose origin is uncertain
- Juliette French diminutive of Julie, from the Roman family name Julius
- Julio Spanish form of Julius, a Roman family name of uncertain meaning, with a traditional link to Latin 'iuvenis' = youthful
- Julissa modern Spanish-American coinage joining Julia to the -issa ending (compare Marissa); no older documented root
- Julius Roman family name of uncertain root; the Julii claimed descent from Iulus, son of Aeneas
- June from the month, named for the Roman goddess Juno
- Junior from Latin 'iunior' = younger, the comparative of 'iuvenis' = young; used of a son named for his father
- Juniper from the evergreen shrub and its berries, Latin 'iuniperus'
- Juno Roman goddess, wife of Jupiter and protector of women; the root is uncertain, possibly linked to Latin 'iuvenis' = young
- Justice English word name, from Latin 'iustitia' = fairness, righteousness; also a transferred occupational surname for a judge
- Justin from Latin Justinus, a derivative of Justus, from 'justus' = just, fair, righteous
Only names carrying a meaning note are listed here. Popularity-only records exist for many more spellings and are reachable through the full directory search.
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