Jesus
Boy name · #173 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Jesus? In official American birth records, Jesus has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Jesus is currently the #173 boy name in the United States — 2,078 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #129, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 866 boys born in 2025 was named Jesus.
Babies named Jesus per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Jesus first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 18 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2004, when 6,472 boys were named Jesus — good for #70 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 Jesus against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jesus in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jesus is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Jesus is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jesus is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Jesus is most common in AZ (4.7 per 1,000), NM (3.7 per 1,000), TX (3.1 per 1,000), NV (2.7 per 1,000), CA (2.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jesus is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Jesus
Statistically, parents drawn to Jesus tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Juan, Luis, Carlos, Andres, and Nicolas.
JuanLuisCarlosAndresNicolasJorgeJavierOscar
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jesus | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,078 | #173 |
| 2024 | 2,221 | #164 |
| 2023 | 2,113 | #172 |
| 2022 | 2,259 | #166 |
| 2021 | 2,270 | #170 |
| 2020 | 2,297 | #169 |
| 2019 | 2,541 | #155 |
| 2018 | 2,643 | #148 |
| 2017 | 2,749 | #144 |
| 2016 | 3,079 | #134 |
| 2015 | 3,182 | #129 |
| 2014 | 3,523 | #111 |
| 2013 | 3,674 | #107 |
| 2012 | 3,783 | #101 |
| 2011 | 4,168 | #93 |
| 2010 | 4,454 | #92 |
| 2009 | 5,387 | #78 |
| 2008 | 5,758 | #79 |
| 2007 | 6,223 | #77 |
| 2006 | 6,461 | #74 |
| 2005 | 6,382 | #73 |
| 2004 | 6,472 | #70 |
| 2003 | 6,163 | #67 |
| 2002 | 6,371 | #66 |
| 2001 | 6,425 | #66 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jesus?
In official American birth records, the name Jesus first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 18 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Jesus a popular boy name?
Jesus ranked #173 among boys in 2025 with 2,078 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #129.
When was the name Jesus most popular?
Jesus peaked in 2004, when 6,472 American boys received the name (ranked #70 that year). Since 2004 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jesus?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 866 newborn American boys was named Jesus. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.