Jair
Jair is a masculine given name. It is derived from Hebrew יָאִיר (Yair), which means "he illuminates".
- Biblical
- Biblical Portuguese
- Spanish
- Portuguese
Meaning & Origin of Jair
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jair is a masculine given name. It is derived from Hebrew יָאִיר (Yair), which means "he illuminates".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Biblical
- Biblical Portuguese
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- Biblical Spanish
The Story of Jair
The earliest SSA record of Jair as a baby boy name dates back to 1971, when 6 babies received it. 2003 was its biggest year on record, with 480 newborns named Jair — #506 in the national rankings. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 40% of all recorded Jairs. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,227 among baby boy names with 163 births, falling sharply (-15%). In total, more than 7K Jairs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Jair
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Jair. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Jair
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jair 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 Jair
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How popular is Jair in 2026?
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About the name Jair
Jair is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Jair's peak popularity came in 2003 when it ranked #506. Use the chart and map above to compare Jair's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2003 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.