Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, hymns, marches, vaudeville song, and dance music.
Meaning & Origin of Jazz
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, hymns, marches, vaudeville song, and dance music.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Jazz
As a girl name
Jazz first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1987, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1994, when 26 Jazzs were born — ranking #4,015 that year. As of 2026, Jazz ranks #9,356 for girls with 8 births, falling sharply (-45%). In total, more than 626 Jazzs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Jazz first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1983, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1994, when 37 Jazzs were born — ranking #2,181 that year. As of 2026, Jazz ranks #4,362 for boys with 24 births, gradually rising (+7%). In total, more than 945 Jazzs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Jazz
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jazz 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 Jazz
What does the name Jazz mean?
How popular is Jazz in 2026?
When was Jazz most popular?
In which U.S. states is Jazz most popular?
Is Jazz a unisex name?
What names go well with Jazz?
About the name Jazz
Jazz is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1983 and has accumulated 945 births in the dataset. Jazz's peak popularity came in 1994 when it ranked #2,096. Use the chart and map above to compare Jazz's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1994 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all boy 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.