boy's name
Jasper
JAS-per
- Origin Persian
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 83,160
the United States
#129
2025 births
Jasper is a boy's name of Persian origin meaning "treasurer," from a root behind the title of a keeper of the treasury. It is traditionally one of the three magi's names, though the gospels never name them or say there were three.
- Jasper is a name of Persian origin.
- Peaked in 2023, when 3,014 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,165 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Jasper 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 | 820 |
| 1890s | 725 |
| 1900s | 715 |
| 1910s | 2,809 |
| 1920s | 3,780 |
| 1930s | 2,366 |
| 1940s | 2,125 |
| 1950s | 1,918 |
| 1960s | 1,336 |
| 1970s | 1,186 |
| 1980s | 1,932 |
| 1990s | 2,708 |
| 2000s | 5,335 |
| 2010s | 18,587 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 17,332 |
What Jasper means
Jasper is generally read as treasurer or bringer of treasure, from a Persian root. The gemstone jasper is an unrelated word of Semitic origin that happens to match in English.
Where Jasper comes from
Jasper comes through Latin and French from a Persian source, usually connected to a word for a treasurer or keeper of the treasury — appropriate for the magus traditionally said to have brought one of the gifts. The gospel of Matthew describes magi from the east but does not number them or name them; the tradition of three, called Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, developed over later centuries. Caspar and Jasper are forms of the same name. The gemstone jasper is entirely separate, from a Semitic word that reached Greek as iaspis. The name has been used in England since the medieval period.
Jasper in use
The gospels never say there were three magi or give their names — the tradition developed centuries later.
How popular is Jasper?
In 2025, Jasper was given to 2,845 babies in the United States, ranking #129 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Jasper 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 Jasper
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Jasper also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Jasper over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Jasper
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.
Jasper 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 Jasper
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Jasper — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Jasper
What does the name Jasper mean?
Jasper means "treasurer," from a Persian root.
Was Jasper one of the three wise men?
By tradition, though the gospels neither name them nor say there were three.
Is Jasper named after the stone?
No. The gemstone is a separate word of Semitic origin that coincidentally matches.
How popular is the name Jasper?
In 2025, Jasper was given to 2,845 babies in the United States, ranking #129 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Jasper a girl's or a boy's name?
Jasper is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Jasper?
Jasper has 2 syllables.
When was Jasper most popular?
Jasper peaked in 2023, when 3,014 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Jasper?
Jasper is usually shortened to Jas.
Is Jasper a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Jasper currently ranks #63 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.