Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1979

Jedediah

Meaning A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin Gender Boy Rank 2025 #2,818 Trend → Stable

A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.

Rank 2025
#2,818
among boys · ↓90 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
45
named Jedediah · -6% vs 2024
How common
1 in 37,957
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1979
248 babies
All-time total
3,298
#2,375 all-time among boys
First recorded
1970
in Social Security records

Jedediah popularity over time

3,298 babies have been named Jedediah since 1970, 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
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1979Boys

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 736 74 – #542
1980s 1,048 105 +42% #608
1990s 417 42 -60% #1,471
2000s 274 27 -34% #2,648
2010s 518 52 +89% #1,913
2020s (to 2025) 305 51 -2% #2,162

Where Jedediah is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 45 0.03 outside top 500
2027 45 0.03 outside top 500
2028 45 0.03 outside top 500
2029 45 0.03 outside top 500
2030 44 0.03 outside top 500

The story of Jedediah

Jedediah is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,818 in 2025 with 45 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1970, 3,298 American babies have been named Jedediah. Its peak came in 1979, when 248 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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

How old are people named Jedediah?

The median living Jedediah is about 37 years old; half are between 15 and 45. An estimated 3,200 people named Jedediah are alive in the United States today.

median 37 020406080100

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

Jedediah year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 45 #2,818
2024 48 #2,728
2023 44 #2,865
2022 51 #2,633
2021 66 #2,162
2020 51 #2,524
2019 45 #2,781
2018 49 #2,593
2017 41 #2,918
2016 64 #2,154
2015 60 #2,244
2014 76 #1,913
2013 69 #2,000
2012 42 #2,847
2011 31 #3,470
2010 41 #2,892
2009 21 #4,657
2008 28 #3,781
2007 27 #3,832
2006 20 #4,591
2005 25 #3,767
2004 24 #3,792
2003 38 #2,648
2002 30 #3,052
2001 26 #3,362
2000 35 #2,649
1995 39 #2,118
1990 47 #1,714
1985 96 #930
1980 206 #608
1975 27 #1,810
1970 9 #3,387
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Jedediah

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

  1. 1 Jedediah Smith Jedediah Smith American explorer (1799–1831) 18th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Jedediah?

The median living Jedediah is about 37 years old. Half of all living Jedediahs are between 15 and 45 years old.

How many people named Jedediah are alive today?

An estimated 3,200 people named Jedediah are alive in the United States, based on 3,298 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Jedediah mean?

A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.

How popular is the name Jedediah in 2025?

Jedediah ranked #2,818 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 45 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Jedediah?

3,298 babies have been named Jedediah in the United States since 1970, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Jedediah most popular?

Jedediah peaked in 1979, when 248 newborns received the name.

Is Jedediah a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Jedediah rising or falling?

Jedediah is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Jedediah become more popular?

Jedediah looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 44 boys named Jedediah in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Jedediah?

Well-known people named Jedediah include Jedediah Smith (explorer).

Names like Jedediah

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

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