Dog Names That Start With J

Inspired by the rise of the African place name, Jaire is a recently new creation. The original form derives from a Congo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers", and is currently a Top 500 choice in the US.

Jennings is a common English surname that originated as a patronymic for the child of someone named Jen, a short form of John.

Jaliyah seems to be a variation of the popular Aliyah, which has both Hebrew and Arabic origins. From Hebrew, the name means "ascent" while the Ja- beginning often connotes God, so the meaning might be "God's ascent." As an Arabic name, Aliyah means "lofty" or "exalted" while Ja- is a popular prefix used in the African American community, so Jaliyah might be a twist on a more popular choice, or a way to honor an Aliyah.

Star Wars fans may know the lore behind the origin of the word and the concept Jedi well enough to confidently choose their name for their child. It has to do with balancing the forces of the universe.

Just like Flora is for botanicals, Jewel is the generic gemstone name, not used much since the early twentieth century, when it was seen as a symbol of how precious a daughter could be. The French version, Bijou, feels more modern, as do Pearl and Ruby.

Diminutive for all the Slavic names that start with Jar-. If for family or cultural reasons you're seeking such a name, then this is a reasonable short form.

Jenna is overheated, but Jemma is still cool. Jemma and Gemma are most heard in Australia but are increasingly used in other countries.

Will this old-fashioned nickname make a comeback, now that Jane has shed her "plain" image? Janie is cute and approachable, and would stand as well on the birth certificate as Josie and Jessie do now.

The ultimate dad name.

The line should end with Junior Soprano. While most would expect this to be a nickname rather than an actual given name, Junior has always ranked in the US Top 1000, hitting its peak in 1925 at Number 116.

This phonetic spelling of Drew feels particularly distanced from the original classic Andrew. Jrue, along with other phonetic "Jr" names such as Jream, is on the rise in the US — even cracking the Top 1000 in 2022.

Lisa Ling made Jett an option for girls when she gave it to her daughter in 2013.

What with Paul Simon's classic lyric about Julio down by the schoolyard and several distinguished bearers, this livelier Spanish version of Julius is completely familiar to the non-Hispanic community and would make a great choice for a bicultural family. Popular in Brazil, it also ranks in the US Top 600 and given to more than 500 boys each year. NFL Atlanta Falcons star Julio Jones bears this name.

Peaked in the 1940s, but still an amiable classic, a la Joe and Tom -- though rarely used on its own.

Jadiel and Yadiel are Spanish versions of the Hebrew Yehudiel, the name of one of the archangels. It's been in the US Top 1000 since 2008, but still hovers towards the bottom.

Joining Lennon, Bowie, and Hendrix in the realm of classic rock-inspired names that feel fashionable today is Jovi — as in Bon Jovi. Jovi is a variation of the Latin Jove — another name for the Roman god of the sky, Jupiter.

Sprightly and engaging nickname for human, full name for pet. Author Jojo Moyes and dancer/singer Jojo Sliwa have propelled the name into the public eye.

Grrrr.

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.

Jalen variations are all over the Top 1000 of 2015 for both genders, and this oddly-spelling version earned spot Number 933. This trend is clearly on the decline, however.