Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and is considered holy to the three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Meaning & Origin of Jerusalem
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and is considered holy to the three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
Origin & history
The Story of Jerusalem
As a girl name
Jerusalem first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1981, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 19 Jerusalems were born — ranking #6,078 that year. As of 2026, Jerusalem ranks #10,054 for girls with 5 births, falling sharply (-49%). In total, more than 324 Jerusalems have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Jerusalem first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1999, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 11 Jerusalems were born — ranking #7,134 that year. As of 2026, Jerusalem ranks #10,889 for boys with 6 births, gradually falling (-13%). In total, more than 133 Jerusalems have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Jerusalem
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jerusalem is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Jostling
- Joselyn
- Josselin
- Journaling
- Josceline
- Journalling
- Jeweling
- Grizzling
- Bristling
- Drusilla
- Girasol
- Brucella
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jerusalem
What does the name Jerusalem mean?
How popular is Jerusalem in 2026?
When was Jerusalem most popular?
In which U.S. states is Jerusalem most popular?
Is Jerusalem a unisex name?
What names go well with Jerusalem?
About the name Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1981 and has accumulated 324 births in the dataset. Jerusalem's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #6,078. Use the chart and map above to compare Jerusalem's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2020 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- 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.