At a glance
- In short
- Jesus comes from the Greek form of Yeshua, a Hebrew and Aramaic name meaning 'Yahweh is salvation.'
- U.S. rank 2025
- #173 of boy names
- Babies in 2025
- 2,078 (0.11% of boys)
- Trend
- Steady #169 in 2020 to #173 in 2025
- Peak
- #66 in 2001–2002
- Top state
- #32 in Arizona
- First recorded
- 1880
Meaning of Jesus
Jesus means 'Yahweh is salvation'. It comes from Iesous, the Greek form of the Hebrew and Aramaic name Yeshua, itself a shortened form of Yehoshua, or Joshua. In English it is pronounced JEE-zuhs; the Spanish form, Jesús, is said hay-SOOS.
The name is best known through Jesus of Nazareth, the central figure of Christianity, and it has long been a common first name in Spanish-speaking countries. Namesakes include soccer players Jesús Navas, a World Cup winner with Spain, and Jesús Ferreira, who has played for the U.S. national team.
In the U.S., Jesus reached its highest rank, 66th, in 2001 and 2002; its best year by number of babies was 2004, with 6,472. It has fallen since then, ranking 173rd in 2025 with 2,078 babies.
How to pronounce Jesus
English
- Pronounced JEE-zuhs /ˈdʒiːzəs/
Spanish
- Pronounced HEY-soos /ˈheɪsuːs/
Popularity of Jesus in the U.S.
Jesus was the #173 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 2,078 babies. It peaked at #66 in 2001–2002 and has been in the top 1,000 since 1880.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1880–2025 146 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,078 | 173 | ▼ 9 |
| 2024 | 2,221 | 164 | ▲ 8 |
| 2023 | 2,113 | 172 | ▼ 6 |
| 2022 | 2,259 | 166 | ▲ 4 |
| 2021 | 2,270 | 170 | ▼ 1 |
| 2020 | 2,297 | 169 | ▼ 14 |
| 2019 | 2,541 | 155 | ▼ 7 |
| 2018 | 2,643 | 148 | ▼ 4 |
| 2017 | 2,749 | 144 | ▼ 10 |
| 2016 | 3,079 | 134 | ▼ 5 |
| 2015 | 3,182 | 129 | ▼ 18 |
| 2014 | 3,523 | 111 | ▼ 4 |
| 2013 | 3,674 | 107 | ▼ 6 |
| 2012 | 3,783 | 101 | ▼ 8 |
| 2011 | 4,168 | 93 | ▼ 1 |
| 2010 | 4,454 | 92 | ▼ 14 |
| 2009 | 5,387 | 78 | ▲ 1 |
| 2008 | 5,758 | 79 | ▼ 2 |
| 2007 | 6,223 | 77 | ▼ 3 |
| 2006 | 6,461 | 74 | ▼ 1 |
| 2005 | 6,382 | 73 | ▼ 3 |
| 2004 | 6,472 | 70 | ▼ 3 |
| 2003 | 6,163 | 67 | ▼ 1 |
| 2002 | 6,371 | 66 | – |
| 2001 | 6,425 | 66 | ▲ 10 |
| 2000 | 5,682 | 76 | ▼ 6 |
| 1999 | 5,571 | 70 | ▲ 6 |
| 1998 | 5,217 | 76 | ▼ 5 |
| 1997 | 5,164 | 71 | ▲ 3 |
| 1996 | 5,115 | 74 | ▲ 2 |
| 1995 | 4,908 | 76 | ▲ 3 |
| 1994 | 4,916 | 79 | ▲ 1 |
| 1993 | 4,683 | 80 | ▼ 2 |
| 1992 | 4,823 | 78 | ▲ 2 |
| 1991 | 4,601 | 80 | ▲ 10 |
| 1990 | 4,131 | 90 | ▲ 13 |
| 1989 | 3,291 | 103 | ▲ 1 |
| 1988 | 2,928 | 104 | – |
| 1987 | 2,790 | 104 | ▲ 5 |
| 1986 | 2,597 | 109 | ▼ 1 |
| 1985 | 2,687 | 108 | ▲ 1 |
| 1984 | 2,513 | 109 | ▼ 1 |
| 1983 | 2,511 | 108 | ▲ 3 |
| 1982 | 2,624 | 111 | ▼ 3 |
| 1981 | 2,759 | 108 | ▲ 2 |
| 1980 | 2,700 | 110 | ▲ 2 |
| 1979 | 2,364 | 112 | ▲ 12 |
| 1978 | 2,074 | 124 | ▲ 8 |
| 1977 | 2,044 | 132 | ▼ 3 |
| 1976 | 2,040 | 129 | ▲ 5 |
| 1975 | 1,924 | 134 | ▼ 1 |
| 1974 | 1,945 | 133 | ▲ 9 |
| 1973 | 1,739 | 142 | ▲ 19 |
| 1972 | 1,611 | 161 | ▲ 9 |
| 1971 | 1,583 | 170 | ▲ 15 |
| 1970 | 1,483 | 185 | ▲ 6 |
| 1969 | 1,403 | 191 | ▲ 1 |
| 1968 | 1,227 | 192 | ▲ 11 |
| 1967 | 1,141 | 203 | ▲ 6 |
| 1966 | 1,108 | 209 | ▲ 20 |
| 1965 | 1,014 | 229 | ▼ 1 |
| 1964 | 1,076 | 228 | ▲ 13 |
| 1963 | 995 | 241 | ▼ 2 |
| 1962 | 1,043 | 239 | ▲ 11 |
| 1961 | 973 | 250 | ▲ 12 |
| 1960 | 914 | 262 | ▲ 2 |
| 1959 | 918 | 264 | – |
| 1958 | 865 | 264 | ▼ 7 |
| 1957 | 856 | 257 | ▼ 8 |
| 1956 | 825 | 249 | ▼ 8 |
| 1955 | 841 | 241 | ▲ 4 |
| 1954 | 791 | 245 | ▼ 11 |
| 1953 | 843 | 234 | – |
| 1952 | 810 | 234 | ▼ 4 |
| 1951 | 821 | 230 | ▲ 5 |
| 1950 | 782 | 235 | ▼ 4 |
| 1949 | 784 | 231 | ▼ 11 |
| 1948 | 845 | 220 | ▲ 13 |
| 1947 | 757 | 233 | ▼ 7 |
| 1946 | 702 | 226 | ▼ 15 |
| 1945 | 662 | 211 | ▲ 31 |
| 1944 | 559 | 242 | ▲ 8 |
| 1943 | 560 | 250 | ▼ 4 |
| 1942 | 535 | 246 | ▲ 22 |
| 1941 | 449 | 268 | ▼ 13 |
| 1940 | 463 | 255 | ▼ 4 |
| 1939 | 459 | 251 | ▼ 2 |
| 1938 | 473 | 249 | ▼ 16 |
| 1937 | 509 | 233 | ▲ 7 |
| 1936 | 470 | 240 | ▼ 7 |
| 1935 | 500 | 233 | ▼ 10 |
| 1934 | 537 | 223 | ▲ 3 |
| 1933 | 514 | 226 | ▼ 24 |
| 1932 | 635 | 202 | ▲ 3 |
| 1931 | 630 | 205 | ▼ 19 |
| 1930 | 753 | 186 | ▼ 5 |
| 1929 | 767 | 181 | ▲ 3 |
| 1928 | 775 | 184 | ▲ 11 |
| 1927 | 727 | 195 | ▲ 2 |
| 1926 | 713 | 197 | ▼ 6 |
| 1925 | 722 | 191 | ▲ 17 |
| 1924 | 662 | 208 | ▲ 3 |
| 1923 | 606 | 211 | ▲ 23 |
| 1922 | 561 | 234 | ▲ 13 |
| 1921 | 517 | 247 | ▼ 9 |
| 1920 | 528 | 238 | ▲ 15 |
| 1919 | 439 | 253 | ▲ 28 |
| 1918 | 362 | 281 | ▲ 34 |
| 1917 | 289 | 315 | ▲ 5 |
| 1916 | 270 | 320 | ▲ 21 |
| 1915 | 242 | 341 | ▼ 14 |
| 1914 | 194 | 327 | ▲ 16 |
| 1913 | 145 | 343 | ▼ 47 |
| 1912 | 146 | 296 | ▲ 2 |
| 1911 | 79 | 298 | ▼ 13 |
| 1910 | 73 | 285 | ▼ 17 |
| 1909 | 68 | 268 | ▼ 11 |
| 1908 | 67 | 257 | ▲ 29 |
| 1907 | 54 | 286 | ▲ 23 |
| 1906 | 44 | 309 | ▼ 55 |
| 1905 | 59 | 254 | ▲ 34 |
| 1904 | 44 | 288 | ▲ 182 |
| 1903 | 20 | 470 | ▼ 10 |
| 1902 | 21 | 460 | ▼ 107 |
| 1901 | 27 | 353 | ▼ 56 |
| 1900 | 49 | 297 | ▲ 118 |
| 1899 | 20 | 415 | ▲ 37 |
| 1898 | 20 | 452 | ▲ 63 |
| 1897 | 15 | 515 | ▼ 91 |
| 1896 | 21 | 424 | ▲ 67 |
| 1895 | 17 | 491 | ▲ 76 |
| 1894 | 13 | 567 | ▲ 48 |
| 1893 | 11 | 615 | ▲ 26 |
| 1892 | 11 | 641 | ▲ 322 |
| 1891 | 5 | 963 | ▼ 296 |
| 1890 | 9 | 667 | ▲ 6 |
| 1889 | 9 | 673 | ▼ 257 |
| 1888 | 20 | 416 | ▲ 22 |
| 1887 | 15 | 438 | ▲ 102 |
| 1886 | 12 | 540 | ▼ 42 |
| 1885 | 14 | 498 | ▲ 72 |
| 1884 | 11 | 570 | ▼ 43 |
| 1883 | 12 | 527 | ▼ 38 |
| 1882 | 14 | 489 | ▲ 164 |
| 1881 | 8 | 653 | ▼ 250 |
| 1880 | 18 | 403 | – |
Jesus by state
Jesus ranks #32 in Arizona (2025).
Rank by state 37 states
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 32 | 154 |
| Texas | 69 | 550 |
| New Mexico | 72 | 24 |
| California | 85 | 444 |
| Nevada | 98 | 31 |
| Colorado | 139 | 51 |
| Oregon | 143 | 28 |
| Washington | 147 | 56 |
| Kansas | 151 | 25 |
| Illinois | 160 | 74 |
| Nebraska | 184 | 14 |
| Utah | 206 | 26 |
| North Carolina | 215 | 57 |
| Oklahoma | 220 | 21 |
| Florida | 221 | 96 |
| Arkansas | 232 | 15 |
| Wisconsin | 255 | 23 |
| Georgia | 267 | 46 |
| Idaho | 302 | 8 |
| South Carolina | 311 | 17 |
| Connecticut | 326 | 9 |
| Iowa | 331 | 11 |
| Tennessee | 335 | 26 |
| Louisiana | 353 | 14 |
| New York | 359 | 49 |
| Maryland | 364 | 14 |
| Missouri | 368 | 17 |
| Alabama | 375 | 14 |
| Kentucky | 375 | 13 |
| New Jersey | 377 | 21 |
| Minnesota | 392 | 14 |
| Massachusetts | 413 | 12 |
| Indiana | 431 | 16 |
| Michigan | 487 | 17 |
| Pennsylvania | 506 | 19 |
| Ohio | 555 | 18 |
| Virginia | 627 | 11 |
| U.S. territories | ||
| Puerto Rico | 109 | 14 |
Notable people named Jesus
- Jesús Navas González is a Spanish former right-back or right winger who spent most of his career at Sevilla, holding the club record for most competitive appearances, and won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain.
- Jesús Manuel "Tecatito" Corona Ruíz is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a winger for Monterrey and has won titles with Porto and the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup with Mexico.
- Jesús David Ferreira Castro is a Colombian-born American professional soccer forward for Seattle Sounders FC who has represented the United States national team and previously played for FC Dallas.
- Jesús Guillermo Luzardo (born September 30, 1997) is a Peruvian-born Venezuelan-American MLB pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies who previously played for the Oakland Athletics and Miami Marlins and was a 2026 All-Star.
- Jesús Gutiérrez Rebollo was a Mexican military general sentenced to 40 years in prison on multiple charges, including involvement in organized crime, in the late 1990s.