Jabez

Hebrew
"borne in pain"

Jabez Origin and Meaning

The name Jabez is a boy's name meaning "borne in pain".

Jabez has a rare combo of three appealing elements: a Biblical heritage, a captivating Southern accent, and a jazzy feel. It was popular with the Pilgrims and on into the nineteenth century (there have been four U.S. Congressmen named Jabez), but it hasn't been in the Top 1000 since 1880.

Jabez came back into the spotlight in 2000 with the publication of Bruce Wilkinson's book The Prayer of Jabez, based on the Old Testament passage beginning "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers." The book became an international best seller, selling nine million copies and heading the New York Times bestseller list.

In literature, Jabez Stone was the main character in the story and film "The Devil and Daniel Webster," and a principal character in a Sherlock Holmes story. Real life Jabezes include a founding partner of Standard Oil.

# 987 in the US

Jabez Rank in US Top 1000

# 2399 on Nameberry

Jabez Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Jabez Popularity

Famous People Named Jabez

  • Jabez Bowen
    Jr., American Revolutionary colonel; politician and judge
  • Jabez Williams Huntington
    U.S. Senator from Connecticut
  • Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry
    U.S. Confederate officer and politician
  • Jabez Spencer Balfour
    British politician and businessman
  • Jabez Bunting Snowball
    Canadian MP and businessman
  • Jabez Comstock Knight
    American politician; 6th mayor of Providence, RI
  • Jabez Pitt Campbell
    American activist; 8th bishop of the AME Church
  • Jabez Abel Bostwick
    American founding partner of Standard Oil

Jabez in Pop Culture

  • Jabez Stone
    New Hampshire farmer who sells his soul to the devil in "The Devil and Daniel Webster"
  • Jabez Wilson
    client character in Sherlock Holmes story "The Adventure of the Red,Headed League"