Boy · #2,868 in 2026

Jafet

Japheth was one of the three sons of Noah in the Book of Genesis. In the biblical narrative he plays a role in the story of Noah's drunkenness and the curse of Ham, and subsequently in the Table of Nations, he is named as the ancestor of the peoples of the Aegean Sea, Anatolia, Caucasus, Greece, and elsewhere in Eurasia.

Current Rank
#2,868
Peak Rank
#1,960 (2015)
Total Babies
1K
5-Yr Trend
+7%
1986
First Year
2026
Last Year
2015
Peak Year
#1960
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
40
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Jafet

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Japheth was one of the three sons of Noah in the Book of Genesis. In the biblical narrative he plays a role in the story of Noah's drunkenness and the curse of Ham, and subsequently in the Table of Nations, he is named as the ancestor of the peoples of the Aegean Sea, Anatolia, Caucasus, Greece, and elsewhere in Eurasia.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The meaning of the name Japheth ( יפת ‎ : y-p-t ) is disputed. There are two possible sources to the meaning of the name: From the Aramaic root פתה ( p-t-h ), meaning "to extend". In this case, the name would mean "may He extend", according to the interpretation of Rashi . From the Hebrew root יפה ( y-p-h ), meaning "beauty", in which case the name would mean "beautiful".

The Story of Jafet

Jafet first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1986, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 68 Jafets were born — ranking #2,068 that year. As of 2026, Jafet ranks #2,868 for baby boys with 44 births, gradually rising (+7%). In total, more than 1K Jafets have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

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 Jafet

Phonetically similar names — useful when Jafet 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 Jafet

What does the name Jafet mean?
Japheth was one of the three sons of Noah in the Book of Genesis. In the biblical narrative he plays a role in the story of Noah's drunkenness and the curse of Ham, and subsequently in the Table of Nations, he is named as the ancestor of the peoples of the Aegean Sea, Anatolia, Caucasus, Greece, and elsewhere in Eurasia.
How popular is Jafet in 2026?
In 2026, Jafet ranks #2,868 among boys' names in the U.S., with 44 babies given the name that year.
When was Jafet most popular?
Jafet reached its peak popularity in 2015, ranking #1,960 that year with 68 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Jafet most popular?
Jafet has historically been most popular in Puerto Rico, Tennessee, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Jafet.
Is Jafet a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Jafet is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Jafet?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Jafet include Asberry, Mallie, Caryl. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Asberry
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👦
Mallie
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👦
Caryl
Peak #1960
👦
Violet
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👦
Stockton
Peak #1960
👦
Jarom
Peak #1960
👦
Doss
Peak #1959
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Locke
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About the name Jafet

Jafet is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Jafet's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #1,960. Use the chart and map above to compare Jafet'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.