Unisex · #1,248 in 2026

Justice

Justice is a unisex given name derived from the virtue. It was popularized in the 1990s due to its use for the lead character in the 1993 American film Poetic Justice. The name has been used in the Anglosphere and has also been well used for African men.

  • English
Current Rank
#1,248
Peak Rank
#320 (2002)
Total Babies
20K
5-Yr Trend
-50%
👧 Girl peak #261 (19K total)
👦 Boy peak #320 (20K total)
👦As Boy Name
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
2002
Peak Year
#320
Peak Rank
20K
Total Count
112
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1972
First Year
2026
Last Year
1995
Peak Year
#261
Peak Rank
19K
Total Count
50
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Justice

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

Justice is a unisex given name derived from the virtue. It was popularized in the 1990s due to its use for the lead character in the 1993 American film Poetic Justice. The name has been used in the Anglosphere and has also been well used for African men.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English

The Story of Justice

As a girl name

The earliest SSA record of Justice as a girl name dates back to 1972, when 7 babies received it. 1995 was its biggest year on record, with 1,046 newborns named Justice — #261 in the national rankings. About 33% of every Justice on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Justice ranks #1,615 for girls with 129 births, falling sharply (-60%). All told, over 19K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.

As a boy name

The earliest SSA record of Justice as a boy name dates back to 1880, when 5 babies received it. 2002 was its biggest year on record, with 832 newborns named Justice — #332 in the national rankings. About 35% of every Justice on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Justice ranks #1,248 for boys with 160 births, falling sharply (-50%). All told, over 20K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Justice

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

  • Justus
  • Justness
  • Justa
  • Cestus
  • Justs
  • Justest
  • Gustus
  • Jests
  • Gists
  • Justicer
  • Gestes
  • Gesta

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Justice

What does the name Justice mean?
Justice is a unisex given name derived from the virtue. It was popularized in the 1990s due to its use for the lead character in the 1993 American film Poetic Justice. The name has been used in the Anglosphere and has also been well used for African men.
What is the origin of the name Justice?
Justice has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.
How popular is Justice in 2026?
In 2026, Justice ranks #1,248 among boys' names in the U.S., with 160 babies given the name that year.
When was Justice most popular?
Justice reached its peak popularity in 2002, ranking #320 that year with 832 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Justice most popular?
Justice has historically been most popular in Hawaii, Alaska, Rhode Island. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Justice.
Is Justice a unisex name?
Yes — Justice is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 49% of Justices assigned female and 51% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Justice?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Justice include Mathias, Olin, Esteban. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Justice

Justice is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 20K births in the dataset. Justice's peak popularity came in 2002 when it ranked #320. Use the chart and map above to compare Justice'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.