Boy names that start with J
These 198 J boy names run from Jabari to Jyoti, each with its meaning and origin. The most popular in the US in 2025 were James, Jack and John.
Johann
God is gracious (Hebrew). No. 1,856 in the US in 2025, 85 babies.
BoyGerman
Jeroen
Sacred name (Greek)
BoyDutch
Jacopo
Supplanter, holder of the heel (Hebrew)
BoyItalian
Variant of Jaasiel, God is my maker (Hebrew). No. 198 in the US in 2025, 1,780 babies.
BoyEnglishRising
Jimmy
Supplanter, holder of the heel (Hebrew). No. 847 in the US in 2025, 291 babies.
BoyEnglish
Juan Cruz
God is gracious, cross (Hebrew and Latin)
BoySpanish
Variant of Jackson, a surname meaning son of Jack (English). No. 156 in the US in 2025, 2,365 babies.
BoyEnglishFalling
Jakub
Supplanter, holder of the heel (Hebrew). No. 3,271 in the US in 2025, 36 babies.
BoyPolish
Jaci
The moon (Tupi). No. 2,912 in the US in 2025, 58 babies.
UnisexPortuguese
José Carlos
He will add, free man (Hebrew and Germanic)
BoySpanish
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Most popular boy names starting with J in 2025
Ranked by the number of US babies given each name. Each spelling is counted on its own.
| US rank | Name | Babies | 10-year trend | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | James | 11,945 | Steady | supplanter, holder of the heel |
| #15 | Jack | 8,748 | Rising | God is gracious |
| #23 | John | 8,027 | Steady | God is gracious |
| #25 | Julian | 7,603 | Rising | from the Roman name Julianus, from the family name Julius |
| #29 | Joseph | 7,303 | Steady | he will add |
| #36 | Jackson | 6,582 | Falling | from a surname meaning son of Jack |
| #43 | Jacob | 6,152 | Falling | supplanter, holder of the heel |
| #54 | Josiah | 5,509 | Steady | Yahweh supports |
| #66 | Joshua | 4,773 | Falling | Yahweh is salvation |
| #70 | Jayden | 4,653 | Falling | variant of Jaden, a modern coinage like Hayden and Aidan |
| #88 | Jeremiah | 3,840 | Falling | God will exalt |
| #89 | Jonathan | 3,822 | Falling | Yahweh has given |
| #95 | Jose | 3,678 | Steady | he will add |
| #114 | Jace | 3,083 | Steady | short form of Jason, healer |
| #115 | Jaxon | 3,073 | Falling | variant of Jackson, a surname meaning son of Jack |
| #128 | Jonah | 2,828 | Steady | a dove |
| #129 | Jasper | 2,804 | Steady | perhaps treasurer, from Gaspar, one of the Magi |
| #131 | Jordan | 2,732 | Falling | to flow down |
| #137 | Jameson | 2,609 | Steady | son of James |
| #155 | Jude | 2,384 | Steady | praised one |
| #156 | Jaxson | 2,365 | Falling | variant of Jackson, a surname meaning son of Jack |
| #159 | Juan | 2,318 | Steady | God is gracious |
| #165 | Jason | 2,224 | Falling | healer |
| #167 | Jayce | 2,199 | Steady | variant of Jace, short for Jason, healer |
| #169 | Jett | 2,167 | Rising | jet black stone |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 2025. Trend compares the rank with ten years earlier.
J names by the numbers
How many US babies get a name starting with J, counted from Social Security records of names given to at least 5 babies.
Boys
- Share of boys, 2025
- 10.5%
- Place among 26 letters
- 1st
- Different J names
- 1,134
- In the top 1,000
- 91
Share of boys with a J name: 15.6% in 1950, 17.4% in 2000, and 10.5% in 2025.
J boy names used in many cultures
Names our database lists in the most languages and countries, easy to spell and say in several of them.
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew)
- JonathanYahweh has given (Hebrew)
- JoelYahweh is God (Hebrew)
- JackGod is gracious (Hebrew)
- Jamessupplanter, holder of the heel (Hebrew)
- JohannesGod is gracious (Hebrew)
- Jonasa dove (Hebrew)
- Josephhe will add (Hebrew)
- Julianfrom the Roman name Julianus, from the family name Julius (Latin)
- Jacintohyacinth (Greek)
- Jacksonfrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English)
- Jakobsupplanter, holder of the heel (Hebrew)
- Jamiesupplanter, holder of the heel (Hebrew)
- Jasperperhaps treasurer, from Gaspar, one of the Magi (Persian)
- Javedeternal (Persian)
- Jazielvariant of Jaasiel, God is my maker (Hebrew)
- Jedidiahbeloved of God (Hebrew)
- JensGod is gracious (Hebrew)
Where these names come from
- Hebrew: 71
- Korean: 23
- Greek: 15
- Hebrew and Greek: 14
- Hebrew and Germanic: 11
- Hebrew and Latin: 9
- Latin: 8
- Chinese: 7
All 198 boy names that start with J
| Name | Meaning | Origin | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jabari | brave, fearless | Swahili | Boy |
| Jabulani | rejoice, be happy | Zulu | Boy |
| Jace | short form of Jason, healer | Greek | Boy |
| Jacek | hyacinth flower | Greek | Boy |
| Jaci | the moon | Tupi | Unisex |
| Jacinto | hyacinth | Greek | Boy |
| Jack | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jackson | from a surname meaning son of Jack | English | Boy |
| Jacob | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jacopo | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jacques | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jacques-Yves | supplanter, plus yew tree | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| Jaehwan | shining talent (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Jaehyeon | talented and virtuous (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Jaejun | talented and outstanding (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Jagjit | world conquering | Punjabi | Unisex |
| Jahan | world | Persian | Boy |
| Jahangir | world conqueror | Persian | Boy |
| Jair | he shines | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jairo | he shines | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jairus | he shines | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jakob | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jakub | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jalal | greatness | Arabic | Boy |
| Jalo | noble, gracious | Finnish | Boy |
| Jamal | beauty, grace | Arabic | Boy |
| Jamal ad-Din | beauty of the faith | Arabic | Boy |
| James | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jameson | son of James | English | Boy |
| Jamie | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Unisex |
| Jamshid | shining Jam | Persian | Boy |
| Jan | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Japheth | enlarged | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jared | descent | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jarl | chieftain or nobleman | Old Norse | Boy |
| Jaromir | fierce peace | Slavic | Boy |
| Jarosław | fierce glory | Slavic | Boy |
| Jasiri | brave, bold | Swahili | Boy |
| Jason | healer | Greek | Boy |
| Jasper | perhaps treasurer, from Gaspar, one of the Magi | Persian | Boy |
| Jaswinder | glory and Indra | Punjabi | Unisex |
| Javad | generous, liberal | Arabic | Boy |
| Javed | eternal | Persian | Boy |
| Javier | new house | Basque | Boy |
| Jaxon | variant of Jackson, a surname meaning son of Jack | English | Boy |
| Jaxson | variant of Jackson, a surname meaning son of Jack | English | Boy |
| Jayce | variant of Jace, short for Jason, healer | Greek | Boy |
| Jayden | variant of Jaden, a modern coinage like Hayden and Aidan | English | Boy |
| Jaziel | variant of Jaasiel, God is my maker | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jean | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jean-Baptiste | honors John the Baptist | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Jean-Christophe | God is gracious, plus bearer of Christ | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Jean-François | God is gracious, plus Frenchman | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| Jean-Jacques | God is gracious, plus supplanter | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jean-Louis | God is gracious, plus famous warrior | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| Jean-Luc | God is gracious, plus from Lucania | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Jean-Michel | God is gracious, plus who is like God? | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jean-Paul | God is gracious, plus small | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| Jean-Philippe | God is gracious, plus lover of horses | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Jean-Pierre | God is gracious, plus rock | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Jedediah | beloved of the Lord | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jedidiah | beloved of God | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jens | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jensen | from a Danish surname meaning son of Jens | Danish | Boy |
| Jeongho | upright and great (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Jeonghun | righteous merit (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Jeongmin | upright and clever (depends on hanja) | Korean | Unisex |
| Jeremiah | God will exalt | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jérémy | Yahweh will exalt | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jeroen | sacred name | Greek | Boy |
| Jerome | sacred name | Greek | Boy |
| Jérôme | sacred name | Greek | Boy |
| Jerónimo | sacred name | Greek | Boy |
| Jerzy | farmer, earth worker | Greek | Boy |
| Jesse | possibly gift, or existence | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jesús | Yahweh is salvation | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jesús María | honoring Jesus and Mary | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jethro | abundance | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jett | jet black stone | English | Unisex |
| Jian | healthy, strong; to build (depends on characters) | Chinese | Boy |
| Jian | wisdom and peace (depends on hanja) | Korean | Unisex |
| Jiang | river, written 江 | Chinese | Unisex |
| Jianguo | building the nation (depends on characters) | Chinese | Boy |
| Jibril | God is my strength | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jie | outstanding, heroic (depends on characters) | Chinese | Boy |
| Jiho | wise and great (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Jihu | wise and generous (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Jihun | wisdom and merit (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Jihwan | wise and shining (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Jimin | wise and clever (depends on hanja) | Korean | Unisex |
| Jimmy | supplanter, holder of the heel | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jin | true, genuine (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Jing | quiet, still; crystal (depends on characters) | Chinese | Unisex |
| Jinho | true and great (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Jiro | second son | Japanese | Boy |
| Jisu | wise and excellent (depends on characters) | Korean | Unisex |
| Jiu | wisdom and blessing (depends on hanja) | Korean | Unisex |
| Jiwon | wise and beautiful, or far-reaching will (depends on hanja) | Korean | Unisex |
| Joab | Yahweh is father | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joachim | God will raise up | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joan | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| João | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| João Miguel | God is gracious, who is like God? | Hebrew | Boy |
| João Pedro | God is gracious, rock | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Joaquim | raised by God | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joaquín | raised by God | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joar | horse warrior | Old Norse | Boy |
| Jochen | God will raise up | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jock | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joe | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joel | Yahweh is God | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joël | Yahweh is God | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joey | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Johan | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Johann | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Johannes | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| John | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Johnny | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jon | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jonah | a dove | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jonas | a dove | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jonás | dove | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jonathan | Yahweh has given | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jongsu | ancestral and outstanding (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Jordan | to flow down | Hebrew | Unisex |
| Jordi | farmer, earth worker | Greek | Boy |
| Jörg | farmer, earth worker | Greek | Boy |
| Jorge | farmer, earth worker | Greek | Boy |
| Jorge Luis | farmer, famous warrior | Greek and Germanic | Boy |
| Joris | farmer, earth worker | Greek | Boy |
| José | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| José Alberto | he will add, noble and bright | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| José Andrés | he will add, manly and brave | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| José Ángel | he will add, messenger | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| José Carlos | he will add, free man | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| José Enrique | he will add, home ruler | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| José Fernando | he will add, brave journey | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| José Gregorio | he will add, watchful | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| José Guadalupe | Joseph and the Virgin of Guadalupe | Hebrew and Spanish | Boy |
| José Javier | he will add, new house | Hebrew and Basque | Boy |
| José Luis | he will add, famous warrior | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| José Manuel | he will add, God with us | Hebrew | Boy |
| José María | he will add, Mary | Hebrew | Boy |
| José Miguel | he will add, who is like God | Hebrew | Boy |
| José Pablo | he will add, small | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| José Ramón | he will add, counsel protector | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| José Vicente | he will add, conquering | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| Joseba | Basque form of Joseph | Hebrew | Boy |
| Josep | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joseph | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Joshua | Yahweh is salvation | Hebrew | Boy |
| Josiah | Yahweh supports | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jost | German form of Judoc, lord | Breton | Boy |
| Josué | Yahweh is salvation | Hebrew | Boy |
| Józef | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Juan | God is gracious | Hebrew | Boy |
| Juan Andrés | God is gracious, manly, brave | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Juan Bautista | God is gracious, baptist | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Juan Camilo | God is gracious, young religious attendant | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| Juan Carlos | God is gracious, free man | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| Juan Cruz | God is gracious, cross | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| Juan David | God is gracious, beloved | Hebrew | Boy |
| Juan Esteban | God is gracious, crown | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Juan Felipe | God is gracious, lover of horses | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Juan Francisco | God is gracious, Frenchman | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| Juan José | God is gracious, he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Juan Luis | God is gracious, famous warrior | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| Juan Manuel | God is gracious, God with us | Hebrew | Boy |
| Juan Martín | God is gracious, dedicated to Mars | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| Juan Pablo | God is gracious, small | Hebrew and Latin | Boy |
| Juan Ramón | God is gracious, counsel protector | Hebrew and Germanic | Boy |
| Juan Sebastián | God is gracious, venerable | Hebrew and Greek | Boy |
| Juancho | pet form of Juan | Spanish | Boy |
| Judah | praised | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jude | praised one | Hebrew | Boy |
| Jules | French form of Julius | Latin | Boy |
| Julian | from the Roman name Julianus, from the family name Julius | Latin | Boy |
| Julien | French form of Julianus, from Julius | Latin | Boy |
| Juma | born on Friday | Swahili | Boy |
| Jun | talented, handsome (depends on characters) | Chinese | Boy |
| Jun | pure, genuine (depends on characters) | Japanese | Unisex |
| Junho | talented and great (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Junhyeok | talented and glorious (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Junichi | pure first son (depends on kanji) | Japanese | Boy |
| Junjie | outstanding talent (depends on characters) | Chinese | Boy |
| Junseo | talented and auspicious (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Junu | talented, of the universe (depends on hanja) | Korean | Boy |
| Junyeong | talented and outstanding (depends on characters) | Korean | Boy |
| Jupp | he will add | Hebrew | Boy |
| Juraci | mouth and mother | Tupi | Unisex |
| Jürgen | farmer, earth worker | Greek | Boy |
| Juro | tenth son | Japanese | Boy |
| Justice | fairness, righteousness | Latin | Unisex |
| Justin | from Latin Iustinus, derived from Justus, just | Latin | Boy |
| Justo | just, fair | Latin | Boy |
| Justus | just, upright | Latin | Boy |
| Juventino | youthful | Latin | Boy |
| Jyoti | light, brightness | Sanskrit | Unisex |
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular boy names that start with J?
The most popular boy names starting with J in the US are James (#6), Jack (#15), John (#23), Julian (#25), Joseph (#29), according to US Social Security Administration data for 2025.
How many boy names start with J?
In 2025, 1,134 different boy names starting with J were given to at least 5 US babies each, and 91 of them were in the top 1,000. This page lists 198 with their meaning and origin.
How common are boy names that start with J?
10.5% of US boys born in 2025 have a name starting with J, making it the 1st most common first letter. In 1950 it was 15.6%.
Where do boy names starting with J come from?
The most common origins on this list are Hebrew (71), Korean (23), Greek (15).