Fun Facts About the Name Jed
- More than 8 thousand babies named Jed: U.S. records list 8,945 babies given the name Jed from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Jed Mean?
Jed is an English masculine name that developed as a short form of the biblical Hebrew name Jedidiah (also spelled Jedediah). The Hebrew form is Yedidyah or Yedidyahu, from yedid, meaning 'beloved' or 'friend,' and Yah or Yahu, a shortened form of the divine name. The literal sense is 'beloved of Yahweh' or 'beloved of the LORD.' Because Jed uses only the first part of the longer name, its customary meaning is given as 'beloved of the Lord.'
Jed Name History & Origins
The full name Jedidiah appears in the Hebrew Bible. In 2 Samuel 12:25, the prophet Nathan gives Solomon the name Jedidiah, explaining that the LORD loved him. That passage is the earliest documented context for the longer name, not for Jed itself.
English speakers shortened Jedidiah to Jed, and the short form became established as an English given name. It is used both as a nickname and as a standalone name in English-speaking countries. In modern times, Jed is associated with fictional characters such as Jed Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies and Jed Bartlet in The West Wing. These are later literary and television uses, not the origin of the name.
How Popular is the Name Jed?
Jed recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1978. Its best rank was #485 in 1978.
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 | #1,999 | 76 | 0.0044% |
| 2024 | #1,985 | 78 | 0.0045% |
| 2023 | #1,768 | 92 | 0.0054% |
| 2022 | #2,088 | 72 | 0.0041% |
| 2021 | #1,877 | 82 | 0.0047% |
| 2020 | #1,665 | 96 | 0.0056% |
| 2019 | #2,099 | 69 | 0.0038% |
| 2018 | #2,367 | 56 | 0.0031% |
| 2017 | #1,874 | 78 | 0.0042% |
| 2016 | #2,153 | 64 | 0.0034% |
| 2015 | #1,923 | 76 | 0.0040% |
| 2014 | #1,912 | 76 | 0.0040% |
| 2013 | #2,033 | 67 | 0.0035% |
| 2012 | #2,145 | 63 | 0.0033% |
| 2011 | #1,735 | 85 | 0.0045% |
| 2010 | #2,223 | 59 | 0.0031% |
| 2009 | #1,963 | 72 | 0.0036% |
| 2008 | #2,220 | 60 | 0.0029% |
| 2007 | #2,290 | 57 | 0.0027% |
| 2006 | #1,931 | 70 | 0.0034% |
| 2005 | #1,697 | 79 | 0.0040% |
| 2004 | #1,897 | 65 | 0.0033% |
| 2003 | #1,433 | 92 | 0.0047% |
| 2002 | #1,669 | 71 | 0.0037% |
| 2001 | #1,519 | 80 | 0.0041% |
| 2000 | #1,658 | 70 | 0.0036% |
| 1999 | #1,769 | 57 | 0.0030% |
| 1998 | #1,364 | 86 | 0.0045% |
| 1997 | #1,406 | 78 | 0.0041% |
| 1996 | #1,350 | 80 | 0.0042% |
| 1995 | #1,291 | 83 | 0.0044% |
| 1994 | #1,237 | 88 | 0.0046% |
| 1993 | #1,222 | 86 | 0.0044% |
| 1992 | #1,225 | 85 | 0.0043% |
| 1991 | #1,301 | 75 | 0.0037% |
| 1990 | #1,106 | 94 | 0.0046% |
| 1989 | #908 | 125 | 0.0062% |
| 1988 | #871 | 119 | 0.0062% |
| 1987 | #821 | 129 | 0.0069% |
| 1986 | #793 | 131 | 0.0071% |
| 1985 | #733 | 145 | 0.0078% |
| 1984 | #711 | 151 | 0.0084% |
| 1983 | #652 | 172 | 0.0096% |
| 1982 | #679 | 164 | 0.0090% |
| 1981 | #567 | 227 | 0.0127% |
| 1980 | #584 | 217 | 0.0122% |
| 1979 | #577 | 219 | 0.0127% |
| 1978 | #485 | 281 | 0.0171% |
| 1977 | #536 | 241 | 0.0147% |
| 1976 | #544 | 219 | 0.0140% |
| 1975 | #551 | 214 | 0.0137% |
| 1974 | #514 | 235 | 0.0149% |
| 1973 | #639 | 155 | 0.0099% |
| 1972 | #705 | 131 | 0.0081% |
| 1971 | #694 | 143 | 0.0081% |
| 1970 | #780 | 112 | 0.0060% |
| 1969 | #765 | 105 | 0.0059% |
| 1968 | #787 | 89 | 0.0051% |
| 1967 | #870 | 68 | 0.0039% |
| 1966 | #880 | 68 | 0.0038% |
| 1965 | #915 | 66 | 0.0035% |
| 1964 | #844 | 82 | 0.0041% |
| 1963 | #782 | 95 | 0.0047% |
| 1962 | #600 | 168 | 0.0081% |
| 1961 | #583 | 184 | 0.0087% |
| 1960 | #665 | 139 | 0.0065% |
| 1959 | #675 | 128 | 0.0060% |
| 1958 | #641 | 144 | 0.0068% |
| 1957 | #696 | 120 | 0.0056% |
| 1956 | #638 | 141 | 0.0067% |
| 1955 | #641 | 136 | 0.0066% |
| 1954 | #645 | 130 | 0.0064% |
| 1953 | #703 | 102 | 0.0052% |
| 1952 | #874 | 65 | 0.0033% |
| 1951 | #870 | 65 | 0.0035% |
| 1950 | #952 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 1949 | #917 | 57 | 0.0032% |
| 1948 | #948 | 54 | 0.0031% |
| 1947 | #978 | 53 | 0.0029% |
| 1946 | #1,490 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1945 | #1,470 | 21 | 0.0016% |
| 1944 | #1,605 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1943 | #1,443 | 24 | 0.0017% |
| 1942 | #1,653 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1941 | #1,662 | 18 | 0.0015% |
| 1940 | #2,245 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1939 | #1,512 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1938 | #1,650 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1937 | #2,043 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1936 | #2,010 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1935 | #2,456 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1934 | #2,075 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1933 | #1,871 | 15 | 0.0015% |
| 1932 | #2,542 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1931 | #2,047 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1930 | #2,237 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1929 | #2,510 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1928 | #2,454 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1926 | #3,946 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #2,667 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1924 | #3,132 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1923 | #4,539 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #4,628 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1920 | #3,076 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #2,584 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1918 | #2,988 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1917 | #3,389 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1916 | #3,342 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1915 | #4,099 | 5 | 0.0006% |
| 1913 | #3,044 | 5 | 0.0010% |
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 Jed 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 have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Jed's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jed's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.