Fun Facts About the Name Jeriko
- 179 babies named Jeriko: U.S. records list 179 babies given the name Jeriko from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Jeriko Mean?
Jeriko is a form of the biblical place name Jericho, which comes from Hebrew Yərīḥō (יְרִיחוֹ). The meaning of the Hebrew name is disputed. One old explanation links it to yārēaḥ, the Hebrew word for "moon," giving a sense like "moon city"; this reading is sometimes connected to ancient Near Eastern moon worship, though the link is a scholarly suggestion rather than a settled fact. A second explanation links it to rēaḥ, "scent" or "fragrance," giving "fragrant place," perhaps because of the aromatic plants and balsam grown in the oasis around the city. A third view holds that the name belongs to a pre-Hebrew layer of the region's place names and cannot be fully explained from Hebrew roots. Because the same Hebrew consonants can be read in more than one way, no single etymology is universally accepted. The spelling with k is the usual form of the place name in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Finnish, and it is from that Nordic spelling that the personal name Jeriko derives.
Jeriko Name History & Origins
Jericho is an ancient settlement in the Jordan Valley, north of the Dead Sea, and the name is one of the oldest recorded place names in the region. In the Hebrew Bible it is the first city the Israelites capture after crossing the Jordan (Joshua 6), and it appears throughout the later books as well. In the New Testament, Jesus passes through Jericho, where he heals the blind Bartimaeus and stays with the tax collector Zacchaeus (Mark 10; Luke 19). The Greek form used in the New Testament is Ierichō (Ἰεριχώ); this passed into Latin as Jericho or Hiericho, and from Latin into the languages of Europe.
Most European languages kept a ch spelling for the city, but the Nordic languages settled on Jeriko with a k. That spelling is the direct source of the given name Jeriko, which is used occasionally as a personal name in Nordic countries. In English-speaking countries the name is rare, and the form Jericho is the one more often seen, used as a given name mainly through familiarity with the biblical city rather than through any separate naming tradition. Jeriko also occurs as a surname in some European families.
How Popular is the Name Jeriko?
Jeriko 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 2018. Its best rank was #6,510 in 2018.
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 | #10,138 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #9,354 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #10,182 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #9,370 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #7,323 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #10,018 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #7,902 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #6,510 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #7,829 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #9,230 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #9,125 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #9,167 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #7,783 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #9,245 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #9,143 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #10,152 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #9,382 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #9,390 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #8,522 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #6,850 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #9,380 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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 Jeriko 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 seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Jeriko's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jeriko's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.