Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1994

Jafar

Meaning Borrowed from Arabic جَعْفَر (jaʕfar) Gender Boy Rank 2025 #6,961

Borrowed from Arabic جَعْفَر (jaʕfar).

Rank 2025
#6,961
among boys · ↓2,338 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
12
named Jafar · -45% vs 2024
How common
1 in 142,340
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1994
33 babies
All-time total
671
#6,618 all-time among boys
First recorded
1975
in Social Security records

Jafar popularity over time

671 babies have been named Jafar since 1975, 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
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1994Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s – – – –
1970s 32 3 – #3,668
1980s 85 9 +166% #2,776
1990s 134 13 +58% #2,368
2000s 154 15 +15% #4,569
2010s 174 17 +13% #4,606
2020s (to 2025) 92 15 -12% #4,623

The story of Jafar

Jafar is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,961 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1975, 671 American babies have been named Jafar. Its peak came in 1994, when 33 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

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 Jafar stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Jafar?

The median living Jafar is about 19 years old; half are between 10 and 31. An estimated 700 people named Jafar are alive in the United States today.

median 19 020406080100

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

Jafar year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 12 #6,961
2024 22 #4,623
2023 20 #4,956
2022 12 #6,989
2021 11 #7,301
2020 15 #5,817
2019 11 #7,355
2018 20 #4,821
2017 15 #5,910
2016 19 #5,014
2015 17 #5,380
2014 21 #4,606
2013 15 #5,771
2012 18 #5,119
2011 19 #4,888
2010 19 #4,916
2009 20 #4,826
2008 18 #5,141
2007 10 #7,819
2006 20 #4,579
2005 15 #5,400
2004 13 #5,939
2003 11 #6,432
2002 17 #4,584
2001 17 #4,569
2000 13 #5,403
1995 14 #4,373
1990 9 #5,552
1985 7 #5,403
1980 17 #2,776
1975 5 #5,832
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Jafar

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

  1. 1 Jafar Panahi Jafar Panahi Iranian filmmaker and actor (born 1960) Contemporary
  2. 2 Ja'far al-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq Muslim scholar and Shia imam (c.702–765) Medieval
  3. 3 Ja'far ibn Abi Talib Ja'far ibn Abi Talib Companion and cousin of Muhammad (c. 590–629) 589–629 · Medieval
  4. 4 Jafar Sharif-Emami Jafar Sharif-Emami Iranian politician (1912–1998) 1910–1998 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Jafar Khan Jafar Khan Shah of Iran from 1785 to 1789 1800–1789 · 18th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Jafar?

The median living Jafar is about 19 years old. Half of all living Jafars are between 10 and 31 years old.

How many people named Jafar are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Jafar are alive in the United States, based on 671 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Jafar mean?

Borrowed from Arabic جَعْفَر (jaʕfar).

How popular is the name Jafar in 2025?

Jafar ranked #6,961 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Jafar?

671 babies have been named Jafar in the United States since 1975, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Jafar most popular?

Jafar peaked in 1994, when 33 newborns received the name.

Is Jafar a boy or girl name?

Jafar is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Jafar rising or falling?

Jafar has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Jafar?

Well-known people named Jafar include Jafar Panahi (film director), Ja'far al-Sadiq (astronomer), Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (religious figure).

Names like Jafar

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

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