Unisex · #8,947 in 2026

Ja

Current Rank
#8,947
Peak Rank
#3,704 (1999)
Total Babies
299
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #7,157 (136 total)
👦 Boy peak #3,704 (299 total)
👦As Boy Name
1971
First Year
2024
Last Year
1999
Peak Year
#3704
Peak Rank
299
Total Count
36
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1957
First Year
2007
Last Year
2000
Peak Year
#7157
Peak Rank
136
Total Count
19
Years Active

The Story of Ja

As a girl name

Ja first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1957, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2000, when 14 Jas were born — ranking #7,157 that year. As of 2026, Ja ranks #17,634 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 136 Jas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Ja first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1971, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1999, when 20 Jas were born — ranking #3,704 that year. As of 2026, Ja ranks #8,947 for boys with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 299 Jas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Ja

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ja is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ja

What does the name Ja mean?
Ja is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1971. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Ja in 2026?
In 2026, Ja ranks #8,947 among boys' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.
When was Ja most popular?
Ja reached its peak popularity in 1999, ranking #3,704 that year with 20 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Ja most popular?
Ja has historically been most popular in Colorado, Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ja.
Is Ja a unisex name?
Yes — Ja is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 31% of Jas assigned female and 69% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Ja?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ja include Deverick, Mayur, Tyray. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Ja

Ja is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 299 births in the dataset. Ja's peak popularity came in 1999 when it ranked #3,704. Use the chart and map above to compare Ja's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.