Jael
From the name of a minor biblical character, Hebrew יעל.
Every Jael since 1957 — 7,948 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jael
Jael is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,393 in 2025 with 157 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1957, 7,948 American babies have been named Jael — about 57% girls and 43% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2012, when 409 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Jael stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jael 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 | 157 | #1,393 | 147 | #1,317 |
| 2024 | 149 | #1,468 | 138 | #1,364 |
| 2023 | 134 | #1,578 | 148 | #1,295 |
| 2022 | 143 | #1,515 | 124 | #1,461 |
| 2021 | 131 | #1,605 | 140 | #1,328 |
| 2020 | 127 | #1,636 | 163 | #1,184 |
| 2019 | 154 | #1,444 | 133 | #1,349 |
| 2018 | 173 | #1,316 | 129 | #1,370 |
| 2017 | 147 | #1,509 | 136 | #1,326 |
| 2016 | 145 | #1,547 | 140 | #1,301 |
| 2015 | 152 | #1,501 | 128 | #1,364 |
| 2014 | 159 | #1,429 | 124 | #1,380 |
| 2013 | 177 | #1,327 | 161 | #1,130 |
| 2012 | 206 | #1,197 | 203 | #987 |
| 2011 | 156 | #1,446 | 117 | #1,421 |
| 2010 | 161 | #1,423 | 145 | #1,221 |
| 2009 | 131 | #1,698 | 154 | #1,176 |
| 2008 | 167 | #1,423 | 127 | #1,351 |
| 2007 | 175 | #1,383 | 146 | #1,211 |
| 2006 | 105 | #1,924 | 103 | #1,483 |
| 2005 | 87 | #2,129 | 113 | #1,337 |
| 2004 | 84 | #2,141 | 84 | #1,572 |
| 2003 | 100 | #1,850 | 64 | #1,857 |
| 2002 | 94 | #1,890 | 55 | #2,009 |
| 2001 | 76 | #2,158 | 43 | #2,321 |
| 2000 | 87 | #1,944 | 24 | #3,465 |
| 1995 | 49 | #2,565 | 22 | #3,139 |
| 1990 | 36 | #3,102 | — | — |
| 1985 | 28 | #3,187 | 9 | #4,472 |
| 1980 | 20 | #3,896 | 5 | #6,659 |
| 1975 | 21 | #3,323 | — | — |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,406 | — | — |
| 1965 | 6 | #6,080 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Jael
- Jael Religious figure
- Jael Ferreira Soccer player · b. 1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jael mean?
From the name of a minor biblical character, Hebrew יעל.
How popular is the name Jael in 2025?
Jael ranked #1,393 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 157 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jael?
7,948 babies have been named Jael in the United States since 1957, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jael most popular?
Jael peaked in 2012, when 409 newborns received the name.
Is Jael a boy or girl name?
Jael is used for both: about 57% of babies named Jael have been girls and 43% boys.
Is the name Jael rising or falling?
Jael has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Jael?
Well-known people named Jael include Jael (religious figure), Jael Ferreira (soccer player).