Beautiful Baby Boy Names Starting With The Letter J
When it comes to naming their baby, parents have a lot to consider. For starters, how do you even go about deciding on just one name that you like? While there are some people who have known what they are going to name their babies for years, there are plenty of us who have no idea until the child arrives in our lives (and even then, it can be a tough decision to make).
Some parents want to choose a baby boy name they feel is strong, while others spend weeks looking for a baby boy name that is absolutely unique. The Tot, a company that offers products for babies and parents alike, offers up quite a few tips for parents who are rolling around name ideas in their minds, including considering past family members' names as inspiration, honoring your culture, and saying the name out to make sure you like how it sounds.
When it comes to boy names, there are a handful that keep moving up and down the Social Security Administration's list of most popular baby boy names. In 2020, those names included Liam, Oliver, Noah, Benjamin, and Lucas. But sometimes, parents know that they already have a letter in mind for their baby boy's name ... they just need a little inspiration. To that end, here's a list of truly beautiful baby boy names that begin with the letter "J."
Jerome
Jerome is a baby boy's name starting with the letter "J" that has Greek roots and means "sacred name," according to Nameberry. For some, the name immediately calls to mind St. Jerome, a scholar and biblical translator who also worked as a secretary for Pope Damasus I and who even erected a monastery in Bethlehem in the year 389 (per Britannica).
If you are looking for a beautiful name that probably won't be too popular when your little one begins kindergarten, the name Jerome is definitely a good choice: BabyCenter has Jerome ranked at No. 1,212 on the popularity scale — and it's even fallen 247 spots since 2020.
When it comes to famous people named Jerome, the list isn't too long — that is, until you remember that Jerry is often a nickname for Jerome — then it's certainly been used quite a bit! When it comes to famous Jerrys who are really Jeromes, the list includes Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, and even author J.D. Salinger (via Oh Baby! Names).
Jeremiah
Jeremiah is a baby boy's name that has Hebrew roots and means "appointed by God," as noted by Nameberry. Notably, Jeremiah is a prophet who has his own book in the Book of Eichah. Jeremiah was known for predictions that included the destruction of Jerusalem, but unfortunately, that prediction was not heeded (per Chabad.org). Some sources even refer to Jeremiah as the "Weeping Prophet" since many of his predictions and prophecies were less than cheery (via Oh Baby! Names).
When it comes to name popularity in the United States, Jeremiah is holding pretty steady. BabyCenter places the name as the 80th most popular name for baby boys in 2021, and it's only fallen by eight spots since 2020. More than anything, that seems to mean that Jeremiah is a name that has staying power; while the Social Security Administration notes that the most popular years for the name were back in 2010 and 2011, obviously parents aren't quite ready to let go of Jeremiah for good.
Jarah
Jarah (pronounced "JAY-rah") is another baby boy's name that has Hebrew roots. The name — which means "honeysuckle" or "honeycomb," according to Nameberry – is a wonderful alternative for parents who are looking for something that feels strong but that you definitely won't hear every day. In fact, the name is so rare in the United States that it doesn't even rank in the top 1,000 baby boy names, as listed by the Social Security Administration, and BabyCenter has Jarah listed as the 20,511th most popular name for baby boys in 2018 (the last year BabyCenter has information about the name's popularity).
If you like the look and feel of Jarah but prefer an alternate version, the name is similar to the more Arabic-leaning Jarrah. It also sounds like Jared and Jareth, both of which have Biblical roots of their own (via Nameberry). Notably, the name Jarah is mentioned in the Bible in passing, as he is described as one of the descendants of Saul (per Behind the Name), the first king of Israel. More directly, as explained by Think Baby Names, Jarah was said to be a descendent of Jonathan, who was one of Saul's son's.
Joachim
The name Joachim is steeped heavily in Christian stories and lore; Joachim is said to be the father of the Virgin Mary and the husband of Saint Anne, according to Behind the Name. The name is yet another with roots in Hebrew and it means "established by Yahweh" in the language, per Name Doctor. According to some accounts, Joachim and Saint Anne could not conceive, but after years of praying, they were told by an angel they would conceive a child, Mary. In Islam, the name Joachim is written as Amram or Imran (per Answering Islam).
If this baby boy's name starting with the letter "J" seems familiar but you don't know why, it might be because it has a Spanish cousin: Joaquin. Nameberry notes that the two names are pronounced quite differently: "wah-keen" and "yo-ah-keem." The name is also growing in popularity. In 2021, the name is ranked as the 1,994th most popular name on BabyCenter, which is up 863 spots over where it was in terms of popularity in 2020.
Jasper
The name Jasper is a delightful moniker that has quite the origin story. The current iteration traces back to the Latin name Gaspar, which might be related to the Hebrew word "gizbar" that means "treasurer." Jasper is also traditionally the name of one of the three wise men who visited Jesus soon after he was born, according to Behind the Name – Jasper is the English version of the traditionally used name Caspar, as noted by Oh Baby! Names.
According to Nameberry, Jasper also has Persian roots and means "bringer of treasure." The name has grown wildly popular in recent years, and currently ranks as the 120th most popular name for baby boys born in the U.S. in 2021, as reported by BabyCenter (which is up 26 spots from 2020).
As explained by Oh Baby! Names, Jasper is also the name of a gemstone that many can recognize. It is typically a red-brown spotted stone that some believe inspires "confidence" and "boldness" in one who wears or holds it.
Jorge
For a lot of Spanish and Portugese families, Jorge is an enormously popular name, which makes sense as the English version of the name, George, has enjoyed enormous popularity throughout the years as well. The name means "a tiller of the soil or a farmer" and is still quite popular in the United States; BabyCenter has the name ranked at No. 411, which is down 27 spots from 2020.
Notably, England celebrates St. George's Day each year to commemorate the country's patron saint. St. George is remembered for being a Roman soldier who refused to give up his Christian faith and was even martyred for it (via English Heritage). On top of that, according to legend, St. George slayed a fire-breathing dragon in what is Libya today.
The name was brought down and popularized as Jorge in Spain and Portugal once royal families from these countries began marrying, and it remains very popular in Spain to this day (via Oh Baby! Names).
Jude
For some, the name Jude is forever tied to the Beatles song "Hey Jude," which is said to be a song Paul McCartney wrote for John Lennon's son Julian following the dissolution of Lennon's marriage to Julian's mother (via Song Facts). But for others, this baby boy's name starting with the letter "J" is clearly a diminutive of the traditionally Hebrew name Judah. It turns out that Jude has Latin origins, and that the name itself means "praised," according to Nameberry. Jude is a powerful name in Judaism, as it is a shortened version of Judah — the leader who one of the 12 tribes of Israel is named for and from whom the word Jew came forth (via Oh Baby! Names).
There are a handful of famous people who are named Jude, with British actor Jude Law likely at the top of most people's list. It turns out that Kelsey Grammer has a son named Jude Gordon Grammer (via The Bump).
Jamar
As explained by Behind the Name, Jamar is believed to be a name that was created relatively recently, and could possibly be a combination of the names Lamar and Jamal. The name is believed to have come about in the United States in the 1970s and is a wonderful example of how names can continue to evolve and change over time. However, BabyCenter states that the name also has Arabic origins and that it means "beauty." Jamar is currently ranked as the 1,659th most popular name by BabyCenter, and has moved down 127 spots from where it was ranked in 2020. One variant of the name is Jamaar.
Jamar is related to the name Jamarion, and both names are cousins of the Arabic name Jamal. The Social Security Administration notes that Jamar has not appeared in the top 1,000 most popular baby names since 2016; the highest it climbed since 2000 was No. 575 in 2001.
Jagger
The name Jagger actually has a few different origin stories, so it's kind of fun to pick through and see which ones make the most sense. On one hand, it could be that Jagger is simply a last name that has crossed over and become a first name, especially as it seems the name has been popularized by the lead singer of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger (via Behind the Name). The name's popularity has grown since the 2000s.
On the other hand, some sources point to Jagger being a name of its own that is an English name meaning "peddler," according to Oh Baby! Names. The Middle English word "jag" means to "pack" or "load," hence the English meaning of the name. Notably, the name has some popularity in South Australia and Canada. BabyCenter ranks the name at No. 735 in 2021 (that's 25 spots below where the name hit in 2020).
Jonah
Jonah is another baby boy's name that has Hebrew origins. The name means "dove," according to Behind the Name, which is a pretty lovely meaning in and of itself. BabyCenter notes that the name became popular in the U.S. beginning in the early 1990s, and it currently ranks as the 145th most popular name so far in 2021.
Jonah's religious connotations are quite strong. As told by Chabad, Jonah is also the name of a prophet from the Torah who was eaten by a whale but then re-emerged a handful of days later. It's said that Jonah was commanded to go to Nineveh and warn of the destruction of the city, but instead he decided to go his own way and head on down to what we now know as Spain. A storm hits his ship, and Jonah is forced to tell everyone that the storm is the result of his actions. After he's tossed overboard by his angry crew, Jonah asks God for help. He's promptly swallowed by a whale, who delivers him to the shore unharmed, and then Jonah heads to Nineveh to get the job done (via Oh Baby! Names).
Jericho
If you are looking for a baby boy name that begins with J and has Judeo-Christian connotations but isn't too often heard, Jericho might be it. Fair warning: judging by the metrics available on BabyCenter, the name has taken off in popularity in recent years ... but by popularity, we mean that it is currently ranked as the 872nd most popular name for boys born in the United States in 2021 (that's up 171 spots since 2020).
Present-day Jericho is a town in the Palestinian territory the West Bank, and the city is believed to be one of the oldest cities in history. According to the Jewish Virtual Library, Jericho is the first city the Israelites seized after their 40-year journey through the desert.
Nameberry points out that Jericho has gained popularity since the early 2010s, having broken into the top 1,000 names for the first time in 2003.
Jameson
Jameson is one of those baby boy names that means exactly what it looks like: "son of James" (per Behind the Name). While Nameberry notes that the name has traditionally been a cute way to honor a grandparent or dad named James, in terms of popularity, Jameson is catching as a standalone name all on its own.
The name also has Greek roots in a whole separate baby boy's name: Jacob. The Hebrew name Yaakov is the original form of Jacob, as noted by Oh Baby! Names, and as the name moved from Greek (Iakobos) to Latin (Iacomus), it was ultimately turned into James by the English. While Jameson has been much more common as a last name, it's really taking off as a first name these days.
Right now, BabyCenter notes that Jameson is the 73rd most popular name for baby boys in 2021! Given info from the Social Security Administration, that squares up, as the name was the 79th most popular name for baby boys in 2020.
Julio
Julio is a sweet little name that is seen as the Portuguese and Spanish version of the name Julius, which has Roman roots. According to Oh Baby! Names, the name Julius is most likely from the Greek word "ioulos," which means "soft-haired." If you're a fan of music from the 1970s, you might also be familiar with the name for another reason: Paul Simon had a song called "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" that was especially beloved throughout throughout that decade.
Another tidbit that's relevant to the same era: one of the more famous people who are named Julio is none other than Julio Iglesias, singer, songwriter, and father to Enrique Iglesias. The name is also shared by Julio Jones, a professional football player who currently plays for the Tennessee Titans.
The Social Security Administration had Julio ranked as the 546th most popular name for baby boys in the United States in 2020. Only time will tell how Julio does in the future!
Joziah
So yes, Joziah is the same name as Josiah, just with a z! This baby boy name that begins with the letter J is perfect for parents who want something classic ... but with a little pizzazz. Both are derived from the Hebrew name Yoshiyahu, which means "Yahweh supports," according to Behind the Name. For those who are looking for something Biblical, Joziah certainly fits the bill. In the Torah, 8-year-old Josiah is crowned King of Judah after his father is killed, and he actually went on to be celebrated as a great leader (per Oh Baby! Names).
As a name, Joziah is still pretty under the radar. BabyCenter ranks it as the 796th most popular name in 2021, but it's worth keeping in mind that Josiah with an "s" is sitting high on the list at No. 38. And while the name has always been a beloved one for Jewish families, Oh Baby! Names pointed out that it has definitely become a popular choice for Christian families as well.