Fun Facts About the Name Jr
- More than 1 thousand babies named Jr: U.S. records list 1,729 babies given the name Jr from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Jr Mean?
Jr is the written abbreviation of Junior, meaning "younger." The word derives from Latin iunior, the comparative of iuvenis ("young"), so its literal sense is "more young" - that is, "younger." In English it functions as a suffix placed after a full name, not as an independent first name with its own separate etymology.
Jr Name History & Origins
Latin iuvenis meant "young person," and its comparative iunior meant "younger." English adopted the word as junior, and from it came the abbreviated name suffix Jr., written after a person's name.
The suffix distinguishes a son who carries the exact same name as his father; the father may in turn be marked Sr. (Senior). This Junior/Senior convention is especially characteristic of the United States, where a boy named precisely for his father is commonly identified as "Jr." British naming has more often used wording such as "the younger" after a name, as in historical figures styled that way, and the post-name Jr. is less standard there. The word Junior is also occasionally given as a first name in its own right, but the abbreviation Jr itself remains a suffix rather than a personal name.
How Popular is the Name Jr?
Jr 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 1989. Its best rank was #1,338 in 1927.
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 | #4,315 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2024 | #4,010 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2023 | #6,341 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2022 | #5,117 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #3,866 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2020 | #4,074 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2019 | #4,174 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2018 | #3,937 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2017 | #3,096 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 2016 | #3,641 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2015 | #3,737 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2014 | #3,843 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2013 | #3,370 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #3,840 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2011 | #4,286 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2010 | #3,759 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2009 | #3,972 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2008 | #3,785 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2007 | #3,216 | 35 | 0.0017% |
| 2006 | #3,271 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 2005 | #3,051 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 2004 | #2,984 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 2003 | #2,964 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2002 | #2,847 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2001 | #3,366 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2000 | #2,951 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1999 | #3,228 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1998 | #3,774 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1997 | #3,962 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1996 | #3,251 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1995 | #3,250 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1994 | #2,897 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1993 | #4,125 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #2,708 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1991 | #2,871 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1990 | #2,824 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1989 | #1,778 | 43 | 0.0021% |
| 1988 | #2,649 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1987 | #3,011 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1986 | #3,063 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #3,301 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1984 | #2,486 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1983 | #4,703 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #2,303 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1981 | #2,296 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1980 | #1,887 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1979 | #1,810 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1978 | #2,427 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1977 | #4,381 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #4,208 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #5,884 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #4,929 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #3,883 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #4,198 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #3,257 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #3,400 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #4,166 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #3,235 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1967 | #2,686 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #3,115 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #2,889 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1964 | #2,747 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1963 | #2,952 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1962 | #3,466 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #4,280 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1948 | #3,930 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,353 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #3,285 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #3,093 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1942 | #2,611 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #1,942 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1939 | #2,357 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1938 | #2,402 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1937 | #2,399 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1936 | #3,814 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1935 | #3,111 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1934 | #2,657 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1933 | #2,452 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1932 | #2,544 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1931 | #1,741 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1930 | #1,627 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1929 | #1,646 | 21 | 0.0020% |
| 1928 | #1,675 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1927 | #1,338 | 31 | 0.0028% |
| 1926 | #1,820 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1925 | #1,348 | 30 | 0.0027% |
| 1924 | #2,091 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1923 | #2,700 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1922 | #2,099 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1921 | #2,558 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1920 | #2,392 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1919 | #2,781 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1918 | #2,992 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1917 | #3,064 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1915 | #3,230 | 7 | 0.0008% |
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 Jr 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 always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Jr's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jr's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.