Jael
Jael or Yael is a heroine of the Bible who aids the Israelites in their war with King Jabin of the city of Hazor in Canaan by killing Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army. This episode is depicted in chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Judges.
Meaning & Origin of Jael
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jael or Yael is a heroine of the Bible who aids the Israelites in their war with King Jabin of the city of Hazor in Canaan by killing Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army. This episode is depicted in chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Judges.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Jael
As a girl name
Jael first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1957, with 14 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2012, when 206 Jaels were born — ranking #1,196 that year. As of 2026, Jael ranks #1,465 for girls with 149 births, holding steady (-2%). In total, more than 5K Jaels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Jael first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1979, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2012, when 202 Jaels were born — ranking #988 that year. As of 2026, Jael ranks #1,413 for boys with 132 births, holding steady (-4%). In total, more than 4K Jaels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Jael
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jael 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 Jael
What does the name Jael mean?
How popular is Jael in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Jael most popular?
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About the name Jael
Jael is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1957 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Jael's peak popularity came in 2012 when it ranked #1,196. Use the chart and map above to compare Jael's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2012 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.