Jafar
Borrowed from Arabic جَعْفَر (jaʕfar).
Every Jafar since 1975 — 671 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Ja'far al-Sadiq Astronomer · 702–765
- Ja'far ibn Abi Talib Religious figure · 589–629
- Jafar Panahi Film director · b. 1960
- Jafar Khan Politician · 1800–1789
- Jafar Sharif-Emami Politician · 1910–1998
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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 Ja'far al-Sadiq (astronomer), Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (religious figure), Jafar Panahi (film director).