Boy · #12,301 in 2026

Jaguar

Name: Popularity of the name Jaguar in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Jaguar, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

The jaguar is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus Panthera that is native to the Americas. Its distinctively marked coat features pale yellow to tan colored fur covered by spots that transition to rosettes on the sides, although a melanistic black coat appears in some individuals.

Current Rank

#12,301

Peak Rank

#4,791 (1995)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1992

First Year

2024

Last Year

1995

Peak Year

#4791

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Jaguar

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

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

Etymology

The word "jaguar" is possibly derived from the Tupi-Guarani word yaguara meaning 'wild beast that overcomes its prey at a bound'. Because jaguar also applies to other animals, indigenous peoples in Guyana call it jaguareté , with the added sufix eté , meaning "true beast". "Onca" is derived from the Portuguese name onça for a spotted cat that is larger than a lynx ; cf. ounce . The word "panther" is derived from classical Latin panthēra , itself from the ancient Greek πάνθηρ ( pánthēr ). In North America, the word is pronounced with two syllables, as / ˈ dʒ æ ɡ w ɑːr / , while in British Engli

The Story of Jaguar

Jaguar first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1992, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1995, when 12 Jaguars were born — ranking #4,791 that year. As of 2026, Jaguar ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 68 Jaguars have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Jaguar

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

Jaguars
Jagua
Jacquard
Jagger
Jacqui
Jacquie
Jagur
Dzhokhar
Jaquish
Magyar
Shaggier
Jogger

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jaguar

What does the name Jaguar mean?

How popular is Jaguar in 2026?

In 2026, Jaguar ranks #12,301 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Jaguar most popular?

Jaguar reached its peak popularity in 1995, ranking #4,791 that year with 12 babies given the name.

Is Jaguar a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Jaguar is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Jaguar?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Jaguar include Adewale, Kristain, Davaris. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Jaguar

Jaguar is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1992 and has accumulated 68 births in the dataset. Jaguar's peak popularity came in 1995 when it ranked #4,791. Use the chart and map above to compare Jaguar'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.