Dog Names That Start With J

Visually similar to Jack and Jacob, but with a refreshing Nordic origin and literally ice-cool meaning.

Many variations of Jessica, including Jessie and Jessa, are used on their own, but Jess is an exception, given to only a handful of baby girls last year. But Jess is certainly the name that many Jessicas are called.

Though this may be thought of as a short form of the legitimate name Jetta, that one's gone to the cars. This sounds more modern if a bit supersonic. In the Netherlands, it's in the Top 100, originating as a short form of -ette ending names such as Henriette and Mariette.

Jeter, which of course is used as a first name only because of Yankee star Derek, rhymes with Peter and may be derived from the French surname Jette, which was often bestowed on foundlings because it means "thrown out," or the German Jetter, an occupational name meaning "weeder." If your husband insists on Jeter, counter with Percival.

Alternative spelling of Jay, which coincides with a masculine name popular in South Asia.

Jasiri is the Swahili word for "brave," and a unisex name primarily used in eastern Africa. Despite all it has going for it — a resonant meaning, on-trend I ending, and gender-neutral style — Jasiri has never been given to more than 30 American babies in a single year.

Pronounced as the English word joy, rather than as the French phrase joie de vivre, Joie might produce more complications than joy.

Although this is a legitimate name, most people would associate it with a line of Volkswagens -- you'd be better off choosing a Mercedes.

Jacinth is a gemstone of the Zircon variety. The name is related to the floral Hyacinth.

Junot, which sounds like the goddess and indie movie name "Juno" and the Alaskan place name Juneau, is actually someting completely different. The literati will recognize the unusual name of writer Junot Diaz.

Coolly attractive African name, with distinguished representatives in sports and literature. Jabari has been on the rise recently, returning to the US Top 1000 in 2023.

While Jairus is rare, this Spanish variation is heard in the US, having ranked in the Top 1000 for the last three decades. It currently ranks in the latter end of the charts, while similar sounding Kairo, Cairo, and Kyro rank higher.

The scope of biblical names has expanded to include sacred place-names, and this makes a plausible possibility, though it does have a masculine feel.

A Jada alternative that has lost ground this decade after peaking around 2010.

An informal nickname for names such as Julia, Juliette, and June.

Most things Jul-related – from the month of July to popular modern names Julia and Julian – originate with Roman emperor Julius Caesar, and the month name July is no exception. Fifteen girls and seven boys were named July in 2013, putting this month name into the class of gender neutral names.

Has lost all trace of its French accent.

As a male name, Joni is a nickname for Jon or Jonathan, akin to Johnny or Jonny. It's more commonly used as a girl name, where it originated as a nickname for Joan.

An established place name, associated with a sunny island in the English Channel, the Garden State in the US, knitted pullovers, reality TV, and a Broadway musical. It peaked in the late 2000s and though it is now in decline, 130 girls and nearly 50 boys received the name in 2023.

-ey meaning "island". Alternative theories suggest it comes from jarl ,meaning "earl" or hjǫr meaning "sword".