boy's name
Jeremiah
jer-uh-MY-uh
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 4
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 236,479
the United States
#88
2025 births
Jeremiah is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh exalts" or "Yahweh establishes," from Yirmeyahu. The prophet's laments over the fall of Jerusalem gave English the word "jeremiad" for a prolonged complaint.
- Jeremiah is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2010, when 7,756 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 861 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 3.
Jeremiah 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 | 373 |
| 1890s | 313 |
| 1900s | 272 |
| 1910s | 806 |
| 1920s | 1,241 |
| 1930s | 1,139 |
| 1940s | 1,260 |
| 1950s | 1,621 |
| 1960s | 1,312 |
| 1970s | 18,911 |
| 1980s | 28,535 |
| 1990s | 23,738 |
| 2000s | 55,810 |
| 2010s | 66,921 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 24,121 |
What Jeremiah means
Jeremiah is usually read as Yahweh exalts or Yahweh establishes, combining a Hebrew verb with the divine name. A competing reading takes the verb as meaning to loosen or throw down, giving a considerably darker sense.
Where Jeremiah comes from
Jeremiah comes from the Hebrew Yirmeyahu, joining Yah, a shortened form of the divine name, to a root variously read as to exalt, to establish, or to loosen. The prophet preached in Jerusalem before and during the Babylonian conquest of 587 BC and is presented as bearing an unwanted message that nobody wished to hear — the Book of Lamentations was traditionally attributed to him. That reputation produced the English noun jeremiad, meaning a long and mournful complaint, one of a small set of words derived from a biblical name. Jeremiah entered English use after the Reformation and was carried to America by Puritan settlers.
Jeremiah in use
The word jeremiad — a long lament or bitter complaint — comes directly from the prophet's reputation.
How popular is Jeremiah?
In 2025, Jeremiah was given to 3,849 babies in the United States, ranking #88 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Jeremiah 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.
How Jeremiah is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Jérémiah | Jérémiah is a rare spelling of Jeremiah, written with an acute accent and recorded about 45 times, mostly in France. | 45 |
Names that peaked alongside Jeremiah
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Jeremiah also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Jeremiah over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Jeremiah
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.
Jeremiah 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 Jeremiah
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Jeremiah — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Jeremiah
What does the name Jeremiah mean?
Jeremiah means "Yahweh exalts" or "Yahweh establishes," from the Hebrew Yirmeyahu.
Who was Jeremiah in the Bible?
A prophet who preached in Jerusalem before and during the Babylonian conquest of 587 BC.
What is a jeremiad?
A long, mournful complaint — the word comes directly from the prophet's reputation.
How popular is the name Jeremiah?
In 2025, Jeremiah was given to 3,849 babies in the United States, ranking #88 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Jeremiah a girl's or a boy's name?
Jeremiah is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Jeremiah?
Jeremiah has 4 syllables.
When was Jeremiah most popular?
Jeremiah peaked in 2010, when 7,756 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Jeremiah?
Jeremiah is usually shortened to Jem and Jerry.
Is Jeremiah a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Jeremiah currently ranks #88 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.