Jody
Jody is a unisex given name. For men, it is sometimes a short form (hypocorism) for Joseph and other names. Notable people with the given name include:
- English
Meaning & Origin of Jody
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jody is a unisex given name. For men, it is sometimes a short form (hypocorism) for Joseph and other names. Notable people with the given name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Jody
As a girl name
American parents first put Jody on the record books as a girl name in 1919, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1958, when 2,226 Jodys were born — ranking #170 that year. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 32% of all recorded Jodys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,337 among girl names with 18 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 56K Jodys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Jody first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1910, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1971: 1,704 births, good for #161 nationwide. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 36% of all recorded Jodys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,631 among boy names with 50 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 32K Jodys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Jody
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Jody. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Jody
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jody 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 Jody
What does the name Jody mean?
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How popular is Jody in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Jody most popular?
Is Jody a unisex name?
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About the name Jody
Jody is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1919 and has accumulated 56K births in the dataset. Jody's peak popularity came in 1958 when it ranked #153. Use the chart and map above to compare Jody's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1958 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- 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.