Fun Facts About the Name Jae
- More than 2 thousand babies named Jae: U.S. records list 2,979 babies given the name Jae from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 1,280 girls received the name Jae.
What Does the Name Jae Mean?
Jae is used in English as a variant spelling of Jay, a name taken from the English word for the jaybird. That word goes back through Middle English jay and Old French jai to a Late Latin bird name of uncertain origin, often linked to the Latin personal name Gaius. In this English use, the usual meaning given is "jaybird."
In Korean, Jae is a romanization of the syllable 재. Korean given names are commonly written with hanja, Chinese characters chosen for their meanings, and the meaning of 재 changes with the character. Common hanja read jae include 才 ("talent, ability"), 在 ("to exist, be present"), 材 ("material, timber"), 財 ("wealth"), 載 ("to carry, record"), and 宰 ("to govern, minister"). A one-syllable name Jae may use one of these; in two-syllable names such as Jae-min or Jae-won, the same element combines with a second syllable whose hanja completes the name's meaning. The Korean name therefore has no single meaning apart from the specific hanja chosen.
Jae Name History & Origins
The English name Jay began as a surname before it became a given name. Surnames such as Jay are recorded in medieval England and derive from the Middle English word for the jaybird. From the surname, Jay passed into use as a first name. The spelling Jae is a respelling of Jay in English, so it shares that history and meaning but has a different visual form.
In Korean, Jae is not related to English Jay. It is the Revised Romanization of the syllable 재; under the older McCune-Reischauer system, the same syllable is usually written Chae. The spelling Jae therefore reflects a modern romanization convention. Korean given names are often written with hanja, and the syllable 재 appears in one-syllable names and in two-syllable names such as Jae-min, Jae-won, Jae-hyun, and Jae-jin. Because the hanja is not shown in the romanized spelling, two people named Jae may use different characters and therefore different meanings.
How Popular is the Name Jae?
Jae has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2020. Its best rank was #1,815 in 1957.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,414 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2024 | #6,467 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2023 | #5,174 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 2022 | #5,708 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #5,013 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 2020 | #4,805 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 2019 | #5,507 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 2018 | #6,918 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2017 | #4,739 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 2016 | #5,356 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2015 | #5,732 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #4,500 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2013 | #4,467 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2012 | #5,309 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2011 | #7,574 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #5,862 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2009 | #5,972 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2008 | #5,626 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2007 | #9,211 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2006 | #4,396 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2005 | #6,644 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2004 | #6,600 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #5,150 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2002 | #4,324 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2001 | #4,604 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2000 | #4,581 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1999 | #4,929 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1998 | #4,417 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1997 | #3,938 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1996 | #5,373 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1995 | #4,578 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1994 | #5,328 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #5,077 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1992 | #8,318 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #6,059 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1990 | #7,502 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #4,409 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1988 | #5,714 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1987 | #4,542 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1986 | #5,273 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1985 | #6,193 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #8,490 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #5,250 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1982 | #5,327 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1981 | #7,007 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #6,468 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #6,367 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #6,109 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #4,748 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1976 | #5,349 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #5,688 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1973 | #7,787 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #4,899 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #4,186 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1970 | #3,351 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1969 | #5,642 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #7,432 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #6,313 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1966 | #6,962 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #3,627 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1964 | #4,464 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1963 | #4,673 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1962 | #3,880 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #3,242 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1960 | #5,376 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #3,514 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1958 | #4,050 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1957 | #3,788 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1956 | #4,614 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1955 | #3,285 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1954 | #3,824 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1953 | #2,995 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1952 | #2,859 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1951 | #5,753 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #3,527 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1949 | #4,034 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1948 | #4,369 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1947 | #3,136 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1939 | #3,273 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1926 | #5,214 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,956 | 42 | 0.0025% |
| 2024 | #3,824 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 2023 | #2,912 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 2022 | #3,370 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2021 | #3,944 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2020 | #2,776 | 44 | 0.0026% |
| 2019 | #3,447 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 2018 | #4,042 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2017 | #3,213 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 2016 | #2,855 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 2015 | #2,992 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 2014 | #3,117 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 2013 | #3,293 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #2,979 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 2011 | #3,391 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2010 | #3,104 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2009 | #3,237 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2008 | #3,185 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 2007 | #3,828 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 2006 | #3,637 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2005 | #3,195 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 2004 | #3,685 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2003 | #3,477 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2002 | #2,970 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 2001 | #3,019 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 2000 | #3,245 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1999 | #4,223 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1998 | #4,086 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1997 | #3,949 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1996 | #3,900 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1995 | #3,365 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1994 | #2,805 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1993 | #2,659 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1992 | #3,272 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1991 | #2,710 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1990 | #3,514 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1989 | #2,645 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1988 | #2,164 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1987 | #2,505 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1986 | #3,052 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #2,323 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1984 | #2,870 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1983 | #3,141 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1982 | #2,894 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1981 | #3,299 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1980 | #3,960 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #3,440 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1978 | #2,518 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1977 | #2,499 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1976 | #2,548 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1975 | #2,978 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #3,423 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #2,923 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1972 | #2,734 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1971 | #3,489 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1970 | #2,971 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1969 | #3,429 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #2,650 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #2,542 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #2,382 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1965 | #3,387 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #2,596 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1963 | #2,074 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1962 | #3,160 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #2,471 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1960 | #2,167 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1959 | #2,155 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1957 | #1,815 | 20 | 0.0009% |
| 1956 | #2,559 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #3,083 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1954 | #2,524 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1953 | #2,802 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #3,978 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #3,207 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1950 | #2,889 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1948 | #3,913 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #3,990 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,754 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #3,528 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,540 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1943 | #3,777 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #3,810 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1938 | #3,340 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,326 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1936 | #3,796 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #2,882 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1928 | #3,921 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1927 | #3,968 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #3,546 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #4,555 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #3,667 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1922 | #4,620 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #4,472 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Jae Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are honest, benevolent, brilliant and often inventive, full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, determined, original and creative. You are a leader, especially for a cause. Sometimes you do not care to finish what you start, and may leave details to others. You can do well in position of authority, and prospers in intellectual and professional fields. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Jae's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jae's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.