Jael
Boy name · #1319 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 147 baby boys were named Jael, placing it at #1319 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1359, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,245 boys born in 2025 was named Jael.
Babies named Jael per year. Source: SSA.
The 46-year story
Jael first appears in the Social Security records in 1979, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 203 boys were named Jael — good for #983 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jael in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jael is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Jael will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jael is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jael is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Jael is most common in NY (0.2 per 1,000), PA (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jael is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Jael
Statistically, parents drawn to Jael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yael, Cael, Kael, Mikael, and Asael.
YaelCaelKaelMikaelAsaelJadielIsaelKalel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 147 | #1315 |
| 2024 | 138 | #1364 |
| 2023 | 148 | #1294 |
| 2022 | 124 | #1457 |
| 2021 | 140 | #1325 |
| 2020 | 163 | #1177 |
| 2019 | 133 | #1347 |
| 2018 | 129 | #1364 |
| 2017 | 136 | #1321 |
| 2016 | 140 | #1295 |
| 2015 | 128 | #1359 |
| 2014 | 124 | #1375 |
| 2013 | 161 | #1128 |
| 2012 | 203 | #983 |
| 2011 | 117 | #1411 |
| 2010 | 145 | #1219 |
| 2009 | 154 | #1173 |
| 2008 | 127 | #1348 |
| 2007 | 146 | #1206 |
| 2006 | 103 | #1479 |
| 2005 | 113 | #1334 |
| 2004 | 84 | #1565 |
| 2003 | 64 | #1845 |
| 2002 | 55 | #1998 |
| 2001 | 43 | #2306 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Jael a popular boy name?
Jael ranked #1319 among boys in 2025 with 147 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1359.
When was the name Jael most popular?
Jael peaked in 2012, when 203 American boys received the name (ranked #983 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,245 newborn American boys was named Jael. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.