boy's name
Jason
JAY-son
- Origin Greek
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 1,127,512
the United States
#165
2025 births
Jason is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "healer." It comes from iasthai, to heal, and belongs to the leader of the Argonauts — though it also served as a Greek rendering of the Hebrew Joshua.
- Jason is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 1977, when 55,944 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,491 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Jason over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 190 |
| 1890s | 142 |
| 1900s | 124 |
| 1910s | 630 |
| 1920s | 988 |
| 1930s | 880 |
| 1940s | 1,306 |
| 1950s | 3,793 |
| 1960s | 42,704 |
| 1970s | 465,183 |
| 1980s | 293,983 |
| 1990s | 91,994 |
| 2000s | 88,735 |
| 2010s | 50,668 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 15,738 |
What Jason means
Jason means healer, or one who cures, from the Greek iasthai. The same root gives the medical suffix in words like paediatrician's older cousin iatric.
Where Jason comes from
Jason is the Greek Iason, from iasthai, to heal — appropriate for a hero raised by Chiron the centaur, who taught medicine. Jason led the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece and is the central figure of one of the oldest surviving Greek myths. Separately, Hellenised Jews used Jason as a Greek substitute for Yehoshua, Joshua, which is why a Jason appears in the New Testament book of Acts. The name was almost unused in English before the 1940s.
Jason in use
Our data shows Jason falling, peaking in 1977, and it first appears in our records in 1880 though it was negligible until the 1940s. Its 1977 peak places it with Michael, Brian and Kevin — a cohort of boys' names that dominated the 1970s and fell together through the 1990s.
How popular is Jason?
In 2025, Jason was given to 2,224 babies in the United States, ranking #165 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Jason is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Jason
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Jason also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Jason over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Jason
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Jason in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Jason
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Jason — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Jason
What does the name Jason mean?
Jason means "healer," from the Greek iasthai, to heal.
Who was Jason in Greek myth?
The leader of the Argonauts, who sought the Golden Fleece. He was raised by Chiron, who taught him medicine.
Is Jason in the Bible?
Yes — Hellenised Jews used Jason for Yehoshua, Joshua, and a Jason appears in Acts.
How popular is the name Jason?
In 2025, Jason was given to 2,224 babies in the United States, ranking #165 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Jason a girl's or a boy's name?
Jason is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Jason?
Jason has 2 syllables.
When was Jason most popular?
Jason peaked in 1977, when 55,944 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Jason?
Jason is usually shortened to Jay and Jace.
Is Jason a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Jason currently ranks #136 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.