Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 2000

Ja

Gender Unisex · 31% girls Rank 2025 #11,195
Rank 2025
#11,195
among boys · ↓1,841 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
6
named Ja
How common
1 in 284,679
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2000
29 babies
All-time total
441
#10,476 all-time among boys
First recorded
1957
in Social Security records

Ja popularity over time

441 babies have been named Ja since 1957, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s 13 – 13 1 – –
1960s 5 – 5 1 -62% –
1970s 12 44 56 6 +1020% #3,242
1980s 17 61 78 8 +39% #3,726
1990s 42 75 117 12 +50% #3,751
2000s 47 78 125 13 +7% #4,885
2010s – 11 11 1 -91% #11,394
2020s (to 2025) – 36 36 6 +445% #5,975

The story of Ja

Ja is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #11,195 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1957, 441 American babies have been named Ja, about 69% boys and 31% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2000, when 29 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ja stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Ja?

The median living Ja is about 30 years old; half are between 23 and 42. An estimated 400 people named Ja are alive in the United States today.

median 30 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Ja year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 6 #11,195
2024 – – 8 #9,354
2023 – – 7 #10,147
2022 – – 15 #5,975
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – 6 #11,394
2010 – – 5 #13,024
2009 – – – –
2008 – – 5 #13,313
2007 5 #18,721 – –
2006 – – 7 #9,983
2005 5 #17,494 5 #12,131
2004 6 #14,862 12 #6,285
2003 5 #16,725 9 #7,490
2002 6 #14,280 10 #6,731
2001 6 #14,200 15 #4,982
2000 14 #7,316 15 #4,885
1995 7 #10,965 10 #5,662
1990 – – – –
1985 – – 5 #6,961
1980 6 #9,513 7 #5,170
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Ja

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Ja Morant Ja Morant American basketball player (born 1999) Contemporary
  2. 2 Ja Rule Ja Rule American rapper (born 1976) Contemporary
  3. 3 Jaú Brazilian footballer 1909–1988 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Ja, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Ja?

The median living Ja is about 30 years old. Half of all living Jas are between 23 and 42 years old.

How many people named Ja are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Ja are alive in the United States, based on 441 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Ja in 2025?

Ja ranked #11,195 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Ja?

441 babies have been named Ja in the United States since 1957, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ja most popular?

Ja peaked in 2000, when 29 newborns received the name.

Is Ja a boy or girl name?

Ja is used for both: about 31% of babies named Ja have been girls and 69% boys.

Is the name Ja rising or falling?

Ja is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Ja?

Well-known people named Ja include Ja Morant (basketball player), Ja Rule (singer), Jaú (soccer player).

Names like Ja

Names that sound and feel close to Ja: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Ja with similar names → More names starting with J →